Charles Leonard Hammond

Mr. Charles Leonard Hammond, 89, of South Bend passed away on Tuesday, May 5, 2015.  He was born on March 13, 1926 in Bloomington, IN to the union of the late Henry and Estella (Clasby) Hammond. 

Charles attended Bloomington High School where he received B.H.S. Certificate of Athletics Award for Track. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran serving during the final years of WWII and was decorated with the Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal.  He returned to Bloomington, completed his education and relocated to South Bend in 1956. Charles was a very proud Veteran and kept a laminated copy of his DD214 in his wallet. He was a member of the American Legion and served as Commander for Post 309 and was a lifetime member of the VFW Post #9733, a lifetime member of the AMVETS and was active at Post #66.

On May 11, 1985 Kentucky Governor Marta Layne Collins commissioned him The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.

 In 1987 he retired from the former Bendix Corporation after 30 years of service. He also worked at the Studebaker National Museum. 

Charles loved cars, especially Cadillacs; he enjoyed tinkering with various gadgets, gardening, bowling, cooking and spending time with his family and friends.  He said children should do what their parents tell them to do and every person living in this country should have love, respect and compassion for those who have served and continue to serve our great Country.     

Charles leaves behind two maternal cousins, Mary Elizabeth McCray and Geneva Richardson of Fort Worth, Texas; three paternal cousins, Dorothy Winburn and Margaret Hammond of Louisville, Kentucky and Charles Hammond of Southern California. He had numerous others in his life who were like family to him. Among those were Edna Mae “Dolly” Cobb, Mary and Larry Birdsong of LaPorte, IN and Curtis and Stella Owens of South Bend. Others in his circle of friends include A.D. and Forestine Jackson, The Charlotte Anderson Family, The Blake, Owens, Lottie and Barnes Families; and close friends, Liza Haynes & Family, Annabelle Buckley, Joe Phillips, Jeremiah White and Robert Ford.

Along with his parents, he was also preceded in death by a brother, Robert Hammond, a sister, June Hammond, a nephew Robert Hammond, II and a cousin, Doneva Denham.

Services for Mr. Hammond will be held at 12:00 noon Monday, May 11, 2015 at Cobb Funeral Home, 3525 S. Michigan St. with visitation will be one hour before the service.

 Burial will follow at St. Joseph Valley Memorial Park, Granger, Indiana  

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