Robert James (Bob) Hammond
September 24, 1931 – December 8, 2023
“There are some who bring a light so great to the world, and even when they are gone, their light remains.”
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Bob Hammond, our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, and friend, on December 8, 2023.
The world became a little brighter on September 24, 1931, in Davidson, Saskatchewan when Robert James Hammond was born to Nellie (Fraser) Hammond and Cyril Hammond.
Bob’s father was a grain elevator manager which required the family of three to move within rural Manitoba farming communities including Kello, Menzie, Shoal Lake and Russell. From Grade 1 to Grade 6, Bob’s lessons were learned in Ukrainian, which became his second language, as he was the only English student, in the only school, in the community.
As a young man, he responded to a newspaper advertisement in the Winnipeg Free Press, posted by Joe Lobreau for Central Motors. This brought Bob to Dryden, and he never looked back. He worked at Central Motors, Kraft Motors, the Dryden House, and in administration at the St. Regis Bag Factory.
Bob met and married the love of his life Arlene Mary Ellen Hancock from Kenora, his wife of 68 1/2 years. Together they built the Hammond homestead in the outskirts of Dryden on Golf Course Road, which is now known as Johnston Road.
In the 1950’s, they established B&M Delivery Service which expanded and became a family business serving Dryden and the region. Bob was a hard-working entrepreneur with a passion to serve. This was evident as B&M’s phone was answered 24/7. Although it is now under different ownership, Bob took great delight knowing that the business he had started nearly 70 years ago continues to thrive to this day.
Bob enriched so many lives and in his quiet and unassuming way, he made a powerful impact on everyone, and everything he undertook. Throughout his life he was active in many organizations including Dryden District Chamber of Commerce, Dryden Rotary Club, Loyal Order of the Moose, Royal Canadian Legion, Dryden Snowmobile Club, Golden Star Freemasons Lodge, Khartum Shriners, Dryden Shrine Club, Order of the Eastern Star, and the Dryden Go-Getters.
In the 1960’s he approached the Dryden Lions Club to seek help for a neighbour family, who were down on their luck. The Lions stepped up to the plate, with the caveat that Bob joins their ranks, which he did.
The Dryden Lions Club inspired Bob’s passion to serve, and he did so as a member for 65 years. He was integrally involved in the Lions Leader Dog Program. As a founder of the Lions Foundation Eye Bank of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario, his name resides on a plaque on the building in Winnipeg. Bob served as the Lions 5M10 District Governor for Northwestern Ontario, and Minnesota. Bob received several awards throughout his lifetime including the Lions International Foundation Melvin Jones Fellowship Award for dedicated Humanitarian Service. He was inducted into the Lions 5M10 District Hall of Fame, and he was honoured by the Freemasons Lodge for 50 years of dedication.
Bob always felt that his greatest achievement of all was and is – his family. The family he built with Chum. Weekends from spring to fall were boating, fishing, and camping adventures with the camping crew. Mainly around the region, and with longer trips into the northern states, to the Black Hills and an annual trip to the Morris Stampede. Hunting was a fall tradition with the hunting camp crew. The winter months were filled with snowmachining and trail rides. Many a day were spent working on Dryden Snowmobile Club projects and certainly a pit stop at the clubhouse on Wabigoon Lake.
Bob’s sense of family was incredibly strong. There were annual road trips to Saskatchewan to visit his large family of aunts, uncles and cousins and regular road trips to Kenora to visit the Palan and Hancock side of the family. Bob was a loyal son. He built his parents a house next door to his family home, and he moved them from Manitoba to live out their golden years.
All Hammond family Christmas’s were with the Palan, Hancock, Matthews families, and many others who were ‘family’ by choice. The Christmas Eve open house at the Hammond’s was the social event of the year.
The Hammond house always had an open door. Everyone was welcome, at anytime, for any reason for shelter, food, a drink, or to play a game of pool. The family dinner table more often than not was never just the Hammonds.
With a thriving business, docking his boat on Wabigoon Lake offered a family retreat, when time permitted, to drop a line in the evening, or just go for a cruise. As the years progressed, and the family left the nest, and with two of his children, and their families living on Eagle Lake, the purchase of a family cabin, seemed to be the thing to do. Summers were spent at the cabin. Whether solo, or with a grandchild, he enjoyed fishing the hump, on Outlet Bay. He enjoyed his Eagle fishing trips with Doug, especially to Hammonds’ Bay. The family cabin was the gathering place for fish fries, Thanksgiving dinners and for no reason at all. Today, the family cabin remains as a testament of his desire to keep it as a gathering place for the family to enjoy.
Prior to retiring, Bob and Chum travelled to Arizona for three months each winter. Upon Bob’s full retirement, they purchased a place and settled at Pacific Mobile Manor in Apache Junction, Arizona. They enjoyed 20 years with their winter family of life-long friends.
Bob was predeceased by his parents, mother-in-law Dolly Hancock, father-in-law Frank Hancock, brother-in-law Lawrence (Larry) Hancock, brother-in-law Carmen Matthews, son Jim Hammond, grandson Brendon Hammond and nephew-in-law Rick Doudiet.
Bob is survived by his wife Arlene (Chum) Hammond, daughter Trudy Sachowski (Doug), son Doug Hammond (Diane), grandchildren Michael Hammond (Liz), Blaire Roberts (Graham), Karly Coutts (Michael), Alissa Hammond (Matt), great grandchildren Camryn, Ada, Mason and Emma, sister-in-law Lorna Matthews, niece Cathy Doudiet, nephew Ernie (Sam) Matthews (Joanne), several great nieces and nephews and godson George Kruger.
Thank you to Patrica Gardens Minimal Care Home, Dr. Yvon Gagnon and Points North Family Health Team for the excellent care and kindness through these last years. Thank you to Dr. Adam Moir, and to the nurses and staff at the Dryden Regional Health Centre for the care, and dignity offered to Bob and his family during his stay and especially during his last few hours. Lastly, thank you the Dryden Community Funeral Home.
Bob’s light certainly burned brighter with each passing year, and it continues to shine on. It remains in the legacy he has built.
Visitation will be held at the First United Church on Thursday, December 14, 2023, from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
A Celebration of Life with Alice Bloomfield officiating will follow on Thursday, December 14, 2023, at 11:00 am followed by a graveside service and interment at the Dryden Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations are gratefully appreciated to the Dryden Lions Club Box 293, Dryden, ON P8N 2Y8 or by E-Transfer to drydenlionsclub@gmail.com
Condolences may be posted to www.dcfh.ca
Arrangements entrusted to
the Dryden Community Funeral Home
249 Grand Trunk Avenue, Dryden, ON P8N 2X3.
