Hazel Hammonds

Hazel Emmigene Hammonds was born Violet Albertus Jones on April 14, 1917 in Flint Michigan. In August of that year she was adopted by Clyde Hursh and Caroline Hursh and her new name became Hazel Emmigene Hursh. She grew up in Michigan and later was married to Jennings Patrick Hammonds in West Virginia. They had three children, Bruce Jennings Hammonds of Belton, Texas, Terry Allen Hammonds of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Dr. James Richard Hammonds, Pastor of Stillhouse Baptist Church in Belton, Texas. The family moved from West Virginia to Port Arthur, Texas in 1946 when Jay, as her husband was known, was transferred with the company he worked for, E.I. DuPont. After living for five years in Port Arthur, he was again transferred in 1951 and moved to Victoria, Texas. In Victoria, as the children grew older and attended school, Hazel worked outside the home at both Sears and Beall‘s. Later in her life she served as a granny at Grandie’s Restaurant. She was a long time member of the Violet Chapter of Eastern Star in Victoria.

Hazel and her husband were charter members of Baptist Temple Church in Victoria, Texas, where she remained as a member of the church till she moved to Garden Estates of Temple in Temple, Texas. There she became a member of the First Baptist Church in Belton. She loved to laugh, travel, and visit with her children and grandchildren. One of her delights was to treat her family to a monthly meal. Hazel was preceded in death by her husband, Jennings Patrick Hammonds, She is survived by her three sons, Bruce and wife Jo Ruth Hall Hammonds, Terry and wife Liberty Hammonds and Richard and wife Olivia Gregory Hammonds, along with six grandchildren and numerous great-grand children and great-great grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at Baptist Temple Church in Victoria, with former pastors of the church, J.V. Helms, Gene Rice and Richard Hammonds officiating. The music will be under the direction of Johnny Wilson, Worship and Administration Pastor at Baptist Temple. A time of visitation will begin at 12:00 noon followed by a memorial service at 1:00 on Friday August 22, 2014. Internment will follow at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bruce Hammonds, Craig Hammonds, Chad Hammonds, Avery Hammonds, Steve Rice and Chris Rice. Words of comfort may be shared at www.colonialfuneralhomevictoria.com