Peter Hammond (John Peter Leslie Hammond)

Peter Hammond (John Peter Leslie Hammond)

May 30, 1936 – September 24, 2025

Peter loved St. Louis. After traveling and living in several places in Europe, notably England, where he was born and France. Opportunities to design the World Headquarters for |Garfield Weston drew him to Toronto where he lived for a several years before coming to St. Louis. He was 35. It was wonderful to hear him describe how he felt about this city and its beautiful buildings, parks and tree-lined streets. Peter appreciated St. Louis in a way that few locals do. He was even able, through his view, to help them to see their city in a new light.

So many opportunities in this “new” country to build “magic”, he used to say. His projects during the early years when he worked for Sverdrup, HOK (Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaun) Ross and Barizinni (his favorite firm) were varied – bridges, corporate headquarters, too many to list here, and finally, during his years at HOK, Union Station where he was in charge of the renovation of the Head House. This was the station itself – the one we visited when we took a train (only if you are old enough to remember). It was an exciting time with trips to the Station, even on Saturdays and Sundays, just to see what was going on, and to talk to the craftsmen who came from all over the country and who were masters of “old world” carpentry and finishes.

A great highlight was designing the new engineering building at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. It was a competition and his design won several awards. Peter was proud of the building.

In recent years, he met wonderful people from Somalia and designed a mosque in St. Louis as well as a mosque and school in Kansas City. He wasn’t able to complete the work but his good friend, Larry Goldworm, stepped in to help.

He was most happy when, 20 years ago, he started working on his own, Over the many years of working for large architectural firms, he continued doing work on the side. When he talked about it, he would describe the satisfaction of working on a small building, or designing a room addition. These small projects were full of details, connections to existing buildings, and recreating details that say “I am original”…
I don’t think he could have enjoyed his 89 years without his work.

What was it like to spend time with him? He was congenial, relaxed, and responsive – fun to be with and Peter gave the impression, though according to English etiquette he never asked, that he enjoyed all of the details of your life.

Peter never missed an opportunity to meet friends, or even to go out dancing. He was unpredictable and though not a very good dancer, he loved it so much that it was always an occasion.

No one could ever want a better sweetheart or companion. Our thoughts of him are joyful though sad because his place in our lives is interrupted.

We are still here: Jovanka, Peter’s Wife; Nikki and Knez, Sister-in-law and Brother-in-law; Nicholas Hammond, Brother, Nieces and Nephews in England; Peter’s Wonderful Mother, and Father, Rolt and Nancy, both deceased. His father Rolt was a writer of many books on engineering; Two loving sisters, deceased, Jane and Faith; deceased aunts, Rosemary Hammond, a composer-teacher and Hermione Hammond, a painter. Hermione, whose work is still around at many museums and some at Sotheby’s from the 1990s, was known for her paintings of buildings after WW2; Also deceased are his uncles, John, Stephen and Geoffrey.

And still here are a great bunch of Jovanka’s relatives who have come to believe he is as much their family as Jovanka’s.

Please be with us on November 6th, 4 to 7, at the Lemp Mansion, to meet everyone and share thoughts of Peter.

ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MICHEL FUNERAL HOME