Bill D. Hammond

Bill D. Hammond, 95 of Sidney, passed away Thursday, July 30, 2015, in the Sidney Regional Medical Center Extended Care.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, August 7, in the First United Methodist Church, with Rev. Tom Hyde officiating.

Graveside inurnment with Military Honors will follow in the Greenwood Cemetery.

Friends may stop at Gehrig-Stitt Chapel on Thursday to sign Bill's register book and to drop off condolences for the family. You may view Bill's Book of Memories, leave condolences, photos and stories at http://www.gehrigstittchapel.com. Gehrig-Stitt Chapel & Cremation Service, LLC, is in charge of Bill's care and service arrangements.

Billy (Bill) Dean Hammond the son of Lawrence and Esther Mada (Armstrong) Hammond was born on the farm of his grandparents near Smith Center, Kan. on Dec. 20, 1919. At the age of two the family moved to a farm in the Reamsville community. He attended grade school at the Jacksonburg School and the Smith County High School. In 1937 Bill's family moved to Sterling where he graduated from Logan County High School with the Class of 1938. Bill and Anna Gwendolyn Slice were married Jan. 4, 1942 at Sterling. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Feb. 1942 and served in the Pacific Theater. Bill received his Honorable Discharge in October 1945, with the rate of Chief Aviation Machinist Mate. Following WWII, the family lived in Scottsbluff moving to Sidney in January 1949. Bill had his own paint contracting business and at one time was in partnership with Troy Smith.

Bill was member of the First United Methodist Church, The Society of Mayflower Descendants, the NRA and the Cheyenne County Genealogical Society. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, enjoying the time most when his sons, son-in-law and grandsons came home to hunt with him. He also had a great interest in the hobby of genealogy.

Survivors include: his (2) sons: Charles Hammond and wife Pat of Dalton and Kevin Hammond and wife Patty of Lincoln; (1) daughter: Pamela Swanson of St. Joseph, Mo .; (10) grandchildren and (12) great-grandchildren.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Anna, sisters: Betty Nelson and Donna Brown, brother: Robert, son-in-law: Jerry Swanson, daughter-in-law: Virginia and great-grandson: Landry Swanson.