Dr. Charles Allison Hammond of Marysville, Wash. died peacefully in his sleep on Nov. 21, 2008. A loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather and friend to many, he will be deeply missed by all.

Charles was born in Tacoma, Wash. on July 1, 1918. Charles was a member of Stadium High School’s graduating class of 1936. He attended the University of Puget Sound from 1936-40, and later the University of Washington Medical School from 1948-52.

Growing up in Tacoma, Charles worked part time for his father at Hammond Fruit & Produce, as well as in a local lumber mill, bank and auto dealership to help pay his way through school.

Charles fell in love with his biology partner at UPS, Margret Goodman, she drew and he dissected. They dated and were married Jan. 9, 1943 in Sumner, Wash., while he was in the US Coast Guard. Charles enlisted in the USCG January 1942 and served throughout the war, a total of 44 months.

After the war, Charles held several jobs but decided to return to school and finish pre-med requirements at the University of Washington. After finishing with a 4.0 GPA, Charles applied and was accepted as a member of the third entering class at the UW Medical School. Charles graduated in 1952 with honors and was elected to the national medical honor society Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed training at the University of Cincinnati Hospital and Sacramento County Hospital. Charles and Margret returned to the Pacific Northwest and in 1954 started a family medical practice in Marysville, Wash.

He experienced great satisfaction from making house calls on darkened country roads on dark and stormy nights. Charles delivered babies and did all the things that an old-fashioned country doctor did in those days. He gained his greatest satisfaction from his association with other doctors in the Everett medical community and through the fulfillment of caring for patients from infants to the elderly.

Charles enjoyed family activities such as boating, skiing, summers at the beach house, winters at the ski cabin at Stevens Pass, tinkering with old sports cars, photography and his early use of computers in the 1980s.

Charles served on the boards of Everett General Hospital, Bank of Everett, Boy Scouts, YMCA, President of the medical staff at Everett General, member of the American Medical Association, Academy Family Practice, and of the Snohomish County, Washington State and American Medical Associations.

Charles is survived by his wife of 65 years, Margret I. (Goodman) Hammond, sons, Curtis (Maureen) Hammond of Mercer Island, Wash., Craig (Sheila) Hammond of Mercer Island, Wash., daughter, Gretchen (Alan) Taylor of Bellingham, Wash.. Grandchildren, Whitney (Hana) Hammond, Boulder, Colo., Kristin (Ian) O’Hearn, Kirkland, Wash.; Matthew and Courtney Hammond, Mercer Island; Allison (Edward) Switaj, Ryan and Stephanie Hammond, Mercer Island; Hannah and Haakon Taylor, Bellingham. Son, Whitney and his wife, Marilyn Hammond of Homer, Alaska, predeceased Charles.

A memorial service was held on Nov. 29 at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Marysville. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.