Calvin Hammond, Jr.

Calvin Hammond, Jr. (Lt. Col. USAF Ret.) was born January 4, 1926 in Phoenix, Arizona to Thelma and Calvin Hammond. As the oldest of five children he helped in the family grocery business. The family lived in Utah and Kansas, finally settling in Denver. He graduated from North High School, Denver, Colorado in June, 1943. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp. June, 1943 at age seventeen and served in WWII. He was in the battle of Okinawa on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945. After discharge from the Marines in 1946, he attended the University of Denver, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1949. He was commissioned an officer in the U.S. Air Force and completed the Air Force basic pilot course at Randolph AFB, Texas, flying the T-6 aircraft. He later became an intelligence officer and parachuted as a member of a field intelligence team. His twenty-one year career in the Air Force took him to Ohio, California, Washington, Germany, Alaska and to Viet Nam as an advisor to a Vietnamese fighter squadron. He was in intelligence and also taught at Case Institute of Technology. He earned a master's degree from Michigan State University in 1965. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1970 as a Lt. Colonel. He then moved to Denver where he was employed by United Bank of Denver until 1979 in the acquisitions department. He married Lois Jeanette Haben on August 14, 1949. Two children from their marriage are Linda Schwanke of Seattle, Washington and Saundra Hicks of Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1984 he met Virginia Webster and they were married on December 2, 1989. He acquired two more daughters, Carol Neiswonger of Thornton, Colorado and Glenda Buck of Austin, Texas. In retirement, Calvin was active in Retired Marines, Rotary, Masons, OES, Sigma Chi, played golf and, until recently, worked out daily at the Denver Athletic Club. For many years, he had season tickets to CU football, Denver Symphony and Denver Theater of Performing Arts. Calvin was a family man and enjoyed many hours of cards, games, 4-H fairs and holiday events with his family. He especially enjoyed teaching the next generation how to play cards and board games. Travel was a special pleasure and he and his wife Virginia visited almost every state. Preceding him in death were his parents Thelma and Calvin Hammond and his first wife Lois. He is survived by his wife Virginia of Denver, Colorado; daughters Linda Schwanke (Allen) of Seattle, Washington and Saundra (Paul) Hicks of Cincinnati, Ohio; two step-daughters Carol Neiswonger (Gary) of Thornton, Colorado and Glenda Buck of Hutto, Texas; two sisters Lois Hughes of Las Vegas, Nevada and Yvonne (John) Anderson of Arvada, Colorado; and his two brothers Ronald of Montrose, Colorado and Ralph (Cathy) of Lincoln City, Oregon. He is also survived by three grandchildren, five step-grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and seven step great-grandchildren. ""You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide and though we cannot see you, you are always at our side."" A Committal Service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday, June 1, 2012 at Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. A Memorial Service for Calvin will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012 at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 South Wadsworth Boulevard, Lakewood, Colorado, followed by military honors rendered by the U.S. Air Force at Fort Logan National Cemetery at 3:15 pm (Pavilion C). Memorial donations in honor of Calvin are suggested to the Shiners Hospitals for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL, 33607. Please share memories of Calvin and leave condolences for his family by signing the guestbook.