Jeanne Hammond was a smart, humble, lovely and funny woman who, like so many hard-working mothers of her era, devoted herself to her family over her lifetime. She died Tuesday, July 10, 2012, at Clairemont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Eau Claire. She had turned 91 on July 6, and celebrated the occasion with her immediate family just this past weekend. Born in Eau Claire in 1921, Jeanne Marie Joern was the youngest of three daughters born to Bernard and Selma Joern, and in 1939 graduated from Eau Claire High School as a National Honor Society student. She apprenticed for a short time at the Union National Bank in Eau Claire before marrying Benjamin M. Hammond on Feb. 5, 1944. The couple lived for a time in Texas, where Ben served with the U.S. military as a flight instructor. At the conclusion of World War II, they returned to Eau Claire, where Jeanne was hired by American National Bank, eventually rising to the position of head teller while her husband pursued a career as a corporate pilot and, later, personnel manager. After the couple's two children graduated from college and had married, Ben and Jeanne retired to Port Charlotte, Fla., where they lived from 1985 until returning to Eau Claire in 2008. During this period, a daily ritual was for Ben to drive to a local supermarket, purchase that day's New York Times and photocopy the crossword page so that they could work on the puzzle together at their cozy kitchen table. Jeanne's quick wit and the couple's obvious affection for each other made them especially popular among the staff and fellow residents of Clairemont, where Mr. Hammond continues to reside. Jeanne is survived by her husband, Benjamin, daughter Roberta Joern of Eau Claire, son William Hammond of Roseville, Minn., four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Lorna and Babette, and a grand-daughter, Erica. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 14, 2012, at First Lutheran Church Chapel, 1005 Oxford Ave., Eau Claire, with visitation an hour beforehand. A lunch will follow in the church's lower level. Memorials to the donor's choice are suggested.

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