Obituary of Thomas Frederick Hammond
Passed away peacefully, at the age of 97, on Thursday, February 22, 2018, at Parkwood Institute in London. Tom is lovingly remembered by his wife of 74 years, Lillian; his brother Jack; daughter Dianne; and dear friend, Elaine. He was predeceased by his son, David (2017). Tom was the cherished grandfather of Kurt (Jana), Dean (Alex), Ryan (Sheri), Mark (Amanda), and Andrea (Barry), and was adored by his 13 great-grandchildren. Tom attended Tecumseh Public School and graduated in 1938 from South Collegiate. As a young man, Tom worked many jobs around the city of London. He sold table lamps to local restaurants, advertising for the ‘Byron Connection’, and worked as an office clerk for the Scott-McHale Shoe Company. He met Lil, a beautiful blonde, at an outdoor dance held at the Springbank Park Pavilion in 1941. They married on July 29, 1943, and from that day on, they travelled and danced through life together. Soon after the wedding, Tom was deployed overseas to serve with the Canadian Army. He remained in Europe for almost three years and bravely took part in the D-Day landings. After the war, Tom was hired by London Life and worked as a Purchasing Manager for 36 years. He was a dedicated employee and involved in many aspects of the company: he was a catcher for the fastball team, president of the Men’s Club, actor in the Players’ Club, and chairman of both the Charitable Association and London Life Retirees. Tom was as generous with his time as he was with his stories. He was a faithful member of the Optimist Club of Byron (43 years) and held the positions of President and Lieutenant Governor. Tom was a longtime volunteer for the Western Fair, Terry Fox Run, and ESL programs throughout the city. Every November, he would share his WWII experiences with London elementary school students and he looked forward to standing with fellow veterans on Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph in Victoria Park. Tom and Lil attended Byron United Church and were one of the first homeowners on Boler Road (1952). They spent many years as members of Sunningdale Golf and Country Club and Tom continued to golf and bowl into his 90s. Tom was a proud Londoner who enjoyed sharing his stories and jokes with everyone he met. He will be missed by many; his favourite greeting, “Did I tell you the one about…?” brought joy to all who knew him. Special thanks to Chartwell Riverside Retirement Residence and the staff at Parkwood Institute. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 11:30 a.m. at BYRON UNITED CHURCH, 420 Boler Road, London. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Salvation Army or the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be greatly appreciated.
