Fred Wendell Hammond

Fred Wendell Hammond was born on November 9, 1928, in Desdemona, Texas, to Wesley McQuen Hammond and Lillian Riggs Hammond. He and his older brother, L.P., were raised during the heart of the Great Depression. His family lived off the land, and those years of hard work and humble beginnings helped shape the man Fred would become.

During his sophomore year of high school, Fred’s family moved from their home seven miles north of Ranger back to the family place in Desdemona. Fred remained behind with the family who bought the property until the school term ended. When the time came to return home, Fred mounted his trusty horse, Grasshopper, and rode nearly 30 miles back to Desdemona.

When the new term began at Desdemona High School, he was seated directly behind a young woman named LaFreida Loyce Read. He would never be quite the same.

Fred went on to graduate from Desdemona High School in 1945. Two years later, on September 1, 1947, Fred and LaFreida were married in Kermit, Texas. Together they made their way to Fort Worth with very little to their name besides a 1938 Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Not long after, Fred was drafted into the United States Army during the Korean War. Following his military service, Fred and LaFreida worked hard to build a good life together and raise their children, Gary and Joni.

Fred enjoyed a long and successful career in sales and management. He began with soda pop delivery and eventually moved into hardware and non-food merchandising. He was a gifted salesman and a natural leader, steadily advancing from managing a single employee to managing teams of people on a national scale with Winn-Dixie. Fred was tremendously successful professionally and was highly respected in his field. His career took him to many places and opened many doors throughout his life. In 1979, his career took him to Jacksonville, Florida, where he was promoted to Vice President, Director of General Merchandise Operations.

It was in Jacksonville that he met Norma Rae. The two married on April 1, 1986, and Fred gained not only a wife, but a bonus family whom he loved dearly. They moved to Atlantic Beach, Florida and stayed there for a time.

Norma Rae encouraged Fred to return to church, and together they made faith an important part of their life. Wherever they lived, they became regular members of their local church. Fred and Rae read through the Bible together numerous times and grew closer to the Lord with each passing year.

When it was time to retire, Fred and Rae purchased a home in the mountains of North Carolina near Mount Mitchell. Their mountain home became a gathering place for family and friends, and they created many wonderful memories there, especially during their special Fourth of July gatherings. They enjoyed the peace and beauty of the mountains and developed a love for gardening and landscaping.

In 2016, Fred and Rae moved to a retirement community in Greenville, South Carolina, and later to an assisted living facility. After Rae’s passing, Fred returned to Texas after 46 years away. He was welcomed home by family and friends who enjoyed visiting him often.

Fred loved people. He was rich in friendships and truly never met a stranger. He maintained lifelong friendships with many people, including the Heasleys, Ketchums, Berrys, Smiths, Buttons, and Clercs, among many others.

He also had a playful competitive side. Fred loved playing cards, especially Rummy, and was fond of winning, which he managed to do quite often!

Above all, Fred loved his family, his friends, meeting people, good conversation, Jesus, Bible study, motorcycles, horses, sports, and card games. He had a deep and abiding prayer life and faithfully remembered his family and friends in his daily prayers. Those who knew Fred knew that his prayers were not merely a routine; they were one of the ways he expressed his love and care for the people in his life.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, Wesley and Lillian Hammond; his brother, L.P. Hammond, and L.P.’s wife, Evelyn; his first wife, LaFreida Read Hammond & his second wife, Norma Rae Bryant Hammond. His son-in-law, Mike Stevenson, joined him in heaven a few days later.

Fred leaves behind a family and a circle of friends who will forever carry his memory. He is survived by his son, Gary Hammond of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; his daughter, Joni Davis and her husband, Mike, of Bedford, Texas; his bonus children, Cindy Stevenson, Martin Bryant and his wife, Linda, Mary Boswell and her husband, Larry, and Phyllis Landry and her husband, Glenn, all of Florida; 19 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and his godson, John.

Fred will be remembered as a man of deep faith, a devoted father and family man, and a loyal friend. He was soft-hearted, humble, wise, friendly, social, polite, trustworthy, loyal, and funny. He had a gift for making people feel welcome and valued, and his genuine interest in others left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.

Fred lived a long and remarkable life. From the young boy who rode Grasshopper 30 miles home, to the husband, father, soldier, salesman, mentor, friend, grandfather, and man of faith he became, his life was filled with hard work, adventure, relationships, laughter, and, ultimately, a deep love for Jesus.

He was truly a wonderful man, and his life was a blessing to many.

His earthly journey is complete, but the love, memories, prayers, and lessons he leaves behind will continue through the generations.

Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, 2026, at Lucas Funeral Home, 1321 Precinct Line Road, Hurst, Texas.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his name to St Judes or Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.