Dorothy Lynn Hammond

Dorothy “Lynn” Hammond

(nee Grau)

Dorothy Lynn Hammond (nee Grau) was born on March 18, 1949 in Baltimore, Maryland, and passed away peacefully at home on Friday, August 14, 2020, surrounded by her devoted family in Denver, Colorado. Her late parents, Walter Staunton Grau and Mary Catherine Grau (Nee Rectner), were descendants of German immigrants. Her family’s history in America extends back  to 1846 with the marriage of John Grau and Elizabeth Barbara Sei Miller. Her maternal grandparents immigrated from Bavaria, Germany.

Lynn began her education in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her father was stationed as a US Navy officer. She graduated from Del Norte High School in 1967.  She earned  her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of New Mexico in 1971 and her Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Colorado in 1990.

Following her undergraduate education in 1971, she taught elementary school in Albuquerque for 4 years. Never one to sit still, Lynn moved to Denver in the mid 1970’s, where she started her own catering business and managed local restaurants. The restaurant business took her to Enid, Oklahoma, but from there she decided to return to Denver, Colorado to follow her true calling as an educator.  Over the years, Lynn joyfully worked as an equal opportunity elementary school teacher- 1st through 6th grade. She taught it all! Before retiring from 25 years of education, she spent 4 years as a Denver Public School kindergarten teacher. I asked her why she wanted to take on 5-year-old students at the twilight of her career, and she responded by saying that she wanted to take on the challenge of helping kindergarteners read, the majority of whom entered her classroom illiterate.  She shared her love of reading with hundreds of children by filling her classroom with endless shelves of books she had accumulated over the course of her life.

In the summer of 1987, she met her husband, Daniel Hammond, in Denver. After a 3-year friendship, Daniel and Lynn were joined in holy matrimony in the city in which they met, at Christ Church United Methodist.  Since that time, Lynn became an active member of the church by serving on several committees.

Lynn used to tell her friends that when she married Daniel, she gained two lovely sisters, Connie and Dinah, in addition to four children- Daniel, Aba, Ato, and James- who gave her 8 wonderful grandchildren. Over the years, the couple built a happy home together in Denver. They sent their children to college, as well as made time to pursue their many shared interests- including trips to Africa (Ghana), Europe and all over North America and Mexico. With an organist for a husband, Lynn grew to love the organ and orchestra music. One of her many cherished holiday traditions was taking the family to see Handel’s Messiah.

Lynn loved people! Some of her happiest times were spent with colleagues and friends. No occasion was too small to celebrate with a gathering- such as birthdays, professional/career anniversaries, personal successes, etc. She particularly loved social gatherings that called for cheesecake. She and Daniel also enjoyed exploring the Colorado mountains with visiting relatives; visits which were invariably capped off with marathon shopping sprees at outlet malls. Lynn loved to shop but, like most other pursuits in her life, what thrilled her the most was shopping for family and friends. She used to say with a smile, “I’m a jeans girl.”

Lynn lived a life filled with purpose: She was devoted first to God and then to her family and community.

Visitation will be held at the Candle Light Funeral Home on Saturday, August 22, 2020 from 10AM to 11AM with a funeral service at 11AM and interment to follow at Lorraine Park Cemetery.

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