Charles Hammond

August 7, 1933 - May 3, 2020

Charles Ainley Hammond of Pasadena, died peacefully at home, his wife and daughter at his side at age 86. A third generation Presbyterian minister, Charles was born in Asheville, North Carolina, the son of George Hammond and Eleanor Gantz. Raised in Southern California, Charles graduated from SPHS in 1951, Occidental College in 1955, and Princeton Theological Seminary in 1958. While in Princeton, Charles met Barbro Laurell from Malmo, Sweden. They married in 1960 and moved to York, Pennsylvania for Reverend Hammond's first pastoral assignment.

In 1963 Charles returned to California to serve as pastor at Pacific Presbyterian Church in Playa Del Rey followed by Trinity Presbyterian Church in Pasadena. In 1975 Charles moved into a calling in ministry at the mid council level. He played an increasingly visible role in national church polity and in 1980 was elected Moderator of the 192nd General Assembly of the UPCUSA, held in Detroit. In 1986 he was named executive presbyter of Presbytery of Philadelphia. In 1998 he began a series of interim ministries in New Providence, New Jersey; Salt Lake City, Utah; and in three Southern California communities:  San Luis Obispo, La Jolla, and Oceanside.

In 2016, Charles and his wife officially retired to Monte Vista Grove Homes in Pasadena, which was established nearly a century ago to meet the needs of retired workers of the Presbyterian Church and its forebears.

Throughout his career Charles was known as a dynamic and engaging preacher, a compassionate pastor and an expert in church polity and administration. He is survived by his wife Barbro; son Sig Hammond of Silver Spring, Maryland; daughter Inga Hammond of Pasadena; two granddaughters; and sisters Margaret Hammond Jameson (SPHS '45) and Mary Hammond Cordero (SPHS '55).

Cabot & Sons Funeral Home