Elizabeth Hammond

September 21, 1921 — March 11, 2014

CHARLTON: Elizabeth Hall Atwater Hammond (92) of 88 Masonic Home Road, R207, Charlton, Massachusetts died on March 11, 2014.

She leaves her three sons, John Alden Hammond and his wife, Susana, of Peru, David Atwater Hammond and his wife, Barbara, of Malden and Stuart Oliver Hammond of Portland, Maine, a daughter, Martha Elizabeth Hammond of Holyoke, nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, her brother-in-law, Richard and his wife Barbara Hammond of Pittsford, VT, two nieces and a nephew. Her husband of 69 years, Alden Wellington Hammond, predeceased her. Two brothers also predeceased her: Bruce Hall Atwater in 1964 and Russell Hall Atwater in 1996. Two nephews, Russell Wilson Atwater and Robert Manwaring Atwater, also predeceased her.

Elizabeth was born in New Haven, Connecticut, daughter of Harry Hall Atwater and Martha Elizabeth Russell Atwater and has lived in Massachusetts since 1969. She first resided in Northborough, then in the Fiskdale section of Sturbridge and finally at the Overlook Masonic Home in Charlton. She graduated from The Day School in New Haven in 1939, from Vassar College in 1943 and from Assumption College in 1979 with a Master’s degree in Marital and Family Counseling. She and her family lived in Milford, Connecticut, New Shrewsbury and Fair Haven, New Jersey before moving to Massachusetts. A licensed marital and family therapist and certified social worker, she worked as a psychiatric social worker for the Department of Mental Health in both New Jersey and Massachusetts after raising her family. While employed by the Department of Mental Health at Worcester State Hospital, she was the first social worker to be assigned to do full time preventive work in the community. She did weekly clinical work at four neighborhood centers. Elizabeth was then transferred, still employed by DMH, to the Gathering Tree, a social competency development program in the Main South area. She returned to clinical work for Community Support Services when it opened in 1982 under the joint auspices of the Worcester Area Community Mental Health Center and the Department of Mental Health. In 1985, Elizabeth was honored by the Worcester Area Community Mental Health Center as the founder of the Central Massachusetts Alliance for Mental Health. This educational, support and advocacy organization assisted families of emotionally disturbed people. She served as director of the Alliance for three years and then became its consultant. Elizabeth joined the Auburn Family Institute in Auburn, Massachusetts, as a marriage and family therapist in 1984. She worked there until 1991 when she resigned to open Family Focus, a private practice in Sturbridge. She retired in 1997. During her career in the mental health field in New Jersey and Massachusetts, she appeared as a panelist on local television and occasionally wrote for professional publications. A communicant at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, she was licensed by the Diocese of Western Massachusetts as both a Pastoral and a Liturgical Lay Eucharistic Minister. She also sang in the choir and served on the vestry and altar guild. She was a convention delegate and an active member of Episcopal Church Women. Elizabeth was a clinical member of The American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. She was a member of Vassar and Assumption Alumni Associations, the American Association of University Women and the Wellesley Centers for Women. She was active in school and church choirs all her life and also in community choruses which her late husband founded and conducted in Connecticut and New Jersey. She also sang in the Quinebaug Valley Singers during the time her late husband reorganized and conducted it. A private gathering for family members will be held at 9:15 at Belanger-Bullard Funeral Home in Southbridge. Her funeral service will be held Friday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 446 Hamilton Street, Southbridge. Burial will take place immediately following in North Cemetery, Sturbridge, MA. A luncheon will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Music Scholarship Fund, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 446 Hamilton St., P.O. Box 685, Southbridge, MA 01550. Belanger-Bullard Funeral Home, 51 Marcy St. is directing arrangements. There will be no calling hours.

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Funeral Service

Friday, March 14, 2014

Starts at 10:00 am (Eastern time)

Holy Trinity Chruch

446 Hamilton St, Southbridge, MA 01550

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Cemetery

Friday, March 14, 2014

Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)

North Cemetery

Maple St, Sturbridge, MA 01566