George "Bud" Hammond, 88, Peculiar, MO, died Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at his home in Peculiar. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 4, 2011 at the Atkinson Chapel in Harrisonville, MO with visitation from 10:00-10:30 a.m. Saturday at the chapel. Burial will be in Peculiar Cemetery, Peculiar, MO.

Bud was born April 6, 1923 in Warsaw, MO, the son of Jake Ottis and Lillie Mae (Jackson) Hammond. He married Betty Jean Miller on February 7, 1944. He was a U.S. Army veteran.

Bud worked for General Motors at the Leeds plant in maintenance for 30 years before retiring on March 1, 1976. He was a Union Shop Steward and a member of the United Auto Workers. Bud had lived in Kansas City, MO before moving to Peculiar. He played guitar and keyboard and sang in a country western band, performing throughout the Midwest.

George was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 66 years, Betty Hammond on June 22, 2010, two sons, Mike and Phil Hammond, two sisters, Mable and Nellie and four brothers, Fred, Gene, Ottis and Jesse. He is survived by one brother, Chester Hammond, Warsaw, MO; one sister, Myrtle Florence Hensley, Warsaw, MO; one granddaughter, Nova Jean Hall and her husband, Jonathan and two great-grandchildren, Hayden and Savannah, New York, NY.