John Hammond

Madison -- John ""Pete"" Hammond, died on Monday, December 29, 2008, from unexpected natural causes. He was born March 13, 1936 in Pulaski, Virginia to Jack and Esther Hammond. He was married for 49 incredibly rich and rewarding years to Shirley D. Hammond who died October 19, 2007. Together they raised and educated their three children in Virginia, Louisiana, Georgia, the Philippines and Wisconsin: Scott Taylor married to Pamela living in Oak Park, Illinois; Leigh Anne married to Todd Carlson living in Palatine, Illinois; and Layne Marie married to Andrew Champion living in Madison. From these marriages there are 10 grandchildren to carry on the family commitment as followers of Jesus Christ. He has one sister, Gayle Hoone, who lives in New Port Ritchey, Florida. Pete and Shirley attended high school together, fell in love and began their journey with Christ at West Winfield Central School in upstate New York. He attended Alfred University and graduated from Houghton College, both in southwestern New York State. He earned a Master's degree from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts and did further graduate studies at William & Mary in Virginia and The Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Pete held teaching jobs in physical education, industrial arts, bible and church history in high schools in New York, Massachusetts and Virginia. He also taught in two graduate schools -- Reformed Theological Seminary in Mississippi and Asian Theological Seminary in Manila, Philippines. He served as a church staff member in Massachusetts and Virginia before joining the staff of InterVarsity/USA in 1966, and ending his 41 years with them as a vice-president-at-large in 2007. During his career he also served as a consultant and lecturer in several European and Asian nations for InterVarsity/USA's parent organization -- The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. He was awarded honorary doctorates by his alma mater Gordon Conwell and Belhaven College in Jackson, Mississippi. One of his favorite activities was opening the Bible and teaching on the foundations of following Christ, faith and family life, workplace values and ethics, and racial reconciliation. His books reflect these themes with several titles published in the 1990s and early 2000s. Pete's hobbies included reading biographies, golfing without keeping score, travel with Shirley, writing and carpentry. He also enjoyed serving as a board member for over a dozen organizations, including Belhaven College in Mississippi, Christianity Today Int'l in Illinois, and the Coalition for Ministry in Daily Life based in Seattle, Washington. Pete and Shirley were involved members of Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) in downtown Madison for over 20 years. The family requests memorial gifts be directed to the Stewardship Commission of CPC, 944 E. Gorham Street, Madison, WI 53703. A memorial service is planned for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2009 at Christ Presbyterian Church, 944 E. Gorham Street in Madison, Wisconsin.