Richard A. Hammond, aka “Weemsy”, 85, longtime of Kimball, Avenue,
Ipswich, and the husband of the late Muriel (Meuse) Hammond, died
Wednesday April 7, 2009 in the Beverly Hospital following his brief
illness.
Born in Ipswich May 5, 1923, son of the late Frederick G. and Hazel
V. (Brockelbank) Hammond, he was raised in Ipswich, attending public
schools. As a young man he was employed as a mechanic at the former
R.W. Davis Chevrolet in Ipswich. During WWII he served as an Army
medic stationed in Warrington, England. While on leave he married
his sweetheart, the late Muriel Meuse. Following his honorable
discharge he returned to Ipswich to make his home, raise his family
and resume his work at R.W. Davis. Mr. Hammond was later employed as
a service manager at the former Means Chevrolet in Ipswich, and in
1967 he became a co-owner of the former Central Street Arco station
in Ipswich. Most recently he was employed with his nephew Bruce
Hammond at his High Street garage from which he retired in 1983.
He
enjoyed his family very much, walking, his yard work, traveling with
his wife and just sitting for hours talking with his friends and
waving at passers by. He will be fondly remembered by many as the
“Mayor of Kimball Avenue”
He
is survived by a daughter, Dale A. Moon and her husband Jack of
Ipswich; three grandchildren, James Mitchell MacDonald and his wife
Beth Hurst of Ipswich, Lori-Jane Mac Donald of Rockport, ME and
Darrin E. Moon of Ipswich; five great grandchildren, Joshua
Fernands of Washington, DC, Justin E. Fernands of Camden, ME, Elyssa
N. Cesolini of Jaffrey, NH, Samuel T. Hurst- MacDonald of Ipswich
and Alice Paul Hurst-MacDonald of Ipswich; a great grandson, Justin
J. Fernands of Camden, ME; a nephew and a niece. He was the brother
of the late Theodore Hammond, formerly of Ipswich.
His
funeral with Army Honors will be held Tuesday April 14, 11 am,
graveside in the Cowles Memorial Cemetery, Town Farm Road, Ipswich.
Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours are
Monday 6 to 9 pm in the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street,
Ipswich with a service by VFW Post #1093 at 7 pm. In lieu of
flowers memorial contributions in his name may be made to Hospice of
the North Shore, 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923.
