Lillian Esther Hammond

With the love of family and support of hospice, she was in her home, when Jesus, her gentle Shepherd, guided her through the valley of the shadow of death into the joy of His Presence.

Lillian Esther was born on April 25, 1926, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Rev. Warren Jerome and Maude Ellis Colegrove. In 1945, while attending Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minn., Lillian met Tracy, the love of her life. They were married in 1946. They raised a family of seven children, and opened their home to several foster children, as they spent their lives in ministry together.

Lillian supported Tracy’s pastoral ministry, with her gifts of music, teaching, and hospitality.

She was an avid writer, who traced the lines of her beloved families several genealogies to their roots of God’s amazing grace.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Pastor Tracy Otis Hammond; her parents; her brother, Joseph Colegrove; a son, Edwin Louis Hammond; and a son-in-law, Roy Smallwood.

Surviving are her brother, Warren Edwin Colegrove of Iron Mountain, Mich.; and six children, Tracy Joel (Ruth) Hammond, Treasure Smallwood, Pastor Stanley Hammond, Daniel (Jennie) Hammond, Serena (Pastor Sam) Hoffman, and Melody (Dan) Buehrer. Also surviving are 15 grandchildren, Trina, Tracy Lewis, Kim, Heather, George, Stephanie, Sasha, Robert, Michael, Elyse, August, Iris, Henry, Sylvia, and William; 10 great-grandchildren; six stepgrandchildren; and 4 stepgreat-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Sunday July 29, 2012, at Angola United Methodist Church, Angola, Ind.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, July 30, 2012, at Angola United Methodist Church, Angola, Ind.

A private family burial at the York Cemetery, Fremont, Ind., will follow the services

Memorials are to The Olde York Church, 8740 E. 300 N., Fremont, IN 46737