Calder Maurice Hammond passed away peacefully in his sleep on March 14, 2017, having just celebrated his 74th birthday. He was born on March 10, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah to loving parents Winona (Olson) and Maurice Wendell Hammond, followed by his brother Richard three- and-a-half years later. When he was eight, he was baptized a member of the LDS Church in Elko, Nevada. Soon after, his father's employment with the Western Pacific Railroad took the family to the small mountain town of Portola, California. They stayed for four years during which he formed some of his happiest boyhood memories.
Back in Salt Lake City, he attended Highland High School playing violin in the orchestra and was a member of the first graduating class in 1961. Shortly thereafter, he began a six-and-a half-year enlistment with the Army starting with basic training at Fort Ord, California. He also served a two-and-a-half-year mission to Sweden for the LDS Church and graduated from the University of Utah in 1968 with a major in business and a minor in Swedish. His language proficiency allowed him to transfer to the 142nd Military Intelligence Linguist Company from which he was honorably discharged in 1968 at the rank of Specialist E-5. He had a lifelong love of country and the principles of freedom.
In 1965, he met his sweetheart Joyce Ann Rabiger, wooing her with the newly released Sound of Music, and on June 30, 1966 they were married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. In January of 1968 he was accepted into the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with whom he sang for 8 months including a tour to Mexico City. Shortly after the birth of their first child Melinda in July 1968, he accepted a job with the Western Pacific Railroad in the San Francisco Bay Area and during the next 16 years in California, five more children were added to the family. In 1984, he was transferred back to Salt Lake City where their seventh and last child Mark was born in 1985.
In 1990, both Calder and Joyce were accepted into the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and they were blessed to share this wonderful experience for nine memorable years including tours to Europe, Russia and Israel. Following his retirement from the Tabernacle Choir, he continued to sing in church and community choirs.
Throughout his life, Calder demonstrated great love and dedication to his family and to the gospel of Jesus Christ, setting an inspiring example of perseverance and faith. These strengths helped carry him through the difficult times of life. In his later years, he became especially tender hearted and grateful for so many wonderful blessings in his life. His annual showing of Ben-Hur, complete with pre-show monologue and holiday buffet, is a beloved family tradition which will be carried on in his honor.
He is survived by his dear wife Joyce (Rabiger), his brother Richard (Suzanne) Hammond, and his children Melinda (Matt) Baros, Carolyn (Derek) Tolman, Tricia (Creighton) Petrey, Ray (EmmaLee) Hammond, Tim (Libby) Hammond, Todd (Brittany) Hammond, and Mark Hammond, as well as twenty-six beloved grandchildren and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
A viewing will be held on Monday, March 20th from 6-8 p.m. at the Harvest Park Stake Center on 4501 West 11800 South in Riverton. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, March 21st at 11:00 a.m. in the same chapel. There will be a viewing before the funeral service from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Interment will be at Larkin Sunset Gardens in Sandy, Utah. As an alternative to flowers, donations to the LDS Humanitarian Aid Fund or the Perpetual Education Fund are appreciated.
