Katherine “Kay” Hammond, of Pierre, died in Gettysburg SD on December 15, 2022 at the age of 97.

Our beloved mother, Katherine Emma Harding Hammond, was born in Brookings SD, July 21, 1925 to Edwin and Agusta (Hultman) Harding. She attended the Brookings schools, graduating from high school in 1943. She worked for Northwest Airlines in St Paul MN for a year, building instruments for the B24, supporting the war effort, before entering South Dakota State University. Kay Harding graduated in Home Economics with a major in Child Development. She married James L Hammond on August 25, 1947. The couple moved to Clark SD in 1950 where James taught high school. In 1954, Katherine and James moved to Hot Springs, and then to Pierre in 1957. Pierre was where she made her home for over 65 years.

In 1965, Katherine was the first Director/Teacher of the Head Start Program in Pierre. This was a two-month summer program and she worked with that program until it became a nine-month program in 1972. Katherine continued with Head Start for two more years. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of Head Start for twenty-one years. She helped the American Association of University Women develop a preschool program in Pierre in 1967 and directed and taught in that program for five years. From 1977 to 1984 she was the Early Childhood consultant for the State Department of Education. She has been an enthusiastic and passionate supporter of programs for young children and was gratified to see quality programs grow in Pierre and in South Dakota. She then taught at the Pierre Indian Learning Center for two years before retiring. In 1994, Katherine was awarded the Susan Smith award by the South Dakota Head Start Association. Katherine was extremely honored to accept this award.

Katherine and her husband Jim, were active RV enthusiasts and had visited many states during their travels, as well as making many friends.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, and taught Sunday School. Other organizations she held membership in were National and State Association for the Education of Young Children, PEO Chapter AB, and she was a Cub Scout Den mother.

Survivors include, two sons, Mark and his wife Kathy of Pierre, granddaughter Kelsey (fiance Chris Suto) of Rapid City, and Steve and his wife Lynn of Rapid City. Katherine was preceded in death by her husband, James, sister, Judy Voss Macklin and her parents. She will very much be missed by all who knew her.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date in the spring of 2023.

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