Thomas Carl Hammonds

Thomas "Tommy" Carl Hammonds, 86, of Leawood, Kansas, passed away at home on Monday, April 22, 2024. Visitation will be Wednesday, May 1st from 10:30 – 11:30 am at Cure of Ars church. Mass of Christian Burial will be on Wednesday, May 1st at 11:30 am at Cure of Ars Catholic Church, Leawood, KS. Live-streaming of Tommy's services will be available at www.cureofars.com/funeral. Burial will take place at 2:00 pm in Forest Hill-Calvary Cemetery, Kansas City, MO.

Thomas was born to Cecil Noah, Sr. and Irma Mary (Kraxner) Hammonds on December 5, 1937, in Los Angeles, California. Growing up, he lived in several states, including: Nebraska, California, Utah, Kentucky, and Missouri. While in Kansas City, Thomas attended Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School for his elementary education (1950). He graduated high school from De La Salle Military Academy (1954).

He was drafted into the United States Army in 1961 and served 4 years. During his time in the Army, he was stationed in Stuttgart, Germany and worked as a payroll clerk for an Engineering Unit. He achieved an expert marksmanship badge on the M14 carbine. After leaving the military, Thomas took a position with the Social Security Administration, where he retired as a manager after 31 years.

He was active in the Boys Scouts of America (BSA) for over 30 years. He was a part of the Mic-O-Say Tribe, where he attained his Eagle Scout in 1954. He achieved the rank of Sachem and received the name “Little Seeks Men”. During his time in the Boy Scouts, he served in various leadership positions from: mentoring Boy Scout troops, as well as Scout Master, Explorer Advisor, Camp Staff, District Committee and Commissioner. In 1960, he completed the Wood Badge for leadership. While stationed overseas, he served as Assistant Scout Master for the Trans-Atlantic Council on the Army Base in Nelligen, Germany as well as achieved the Order of the Arrow.

He had a love of travel and could frequently be found traveling the world with his mother and brother. His favorite destination was his annual trips to London, but he also visited 6 continents (North and South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa) and all 50 of the United States. He loved to visit the “Happiest Place on Earth”, Walt Disney World, and visited at least 6 times. In 1999, Tom and his brother hosted a family trip to Disney World that involved the extended family…all 13 members!

He was an active member of his local community serving on the Leawood Sister City Committee for 35 years, including two trips to I-Lan, Taiwan. He was a 50+ yr. member of the Catholic fellowship at Cure of Ars and joined them on trips to Rome and Guatemala.

He was a season ticket holder for many of the local theatre groups in the Kansas City area, including Broadway Across America, Unicorn, KC Rep, KC Ballet and KC Actors Theatres. He also enjoyed season tickets to the Coterie, where he attended shows along with his grandnieces, great grandnieces, and great grandnephew.

He could often be found either baking a cake or messing around his yard which was his pride and joy and continued to mow his lawn well into his 80’s. His annual plantings included coral geraniums on the front porch and pink and purple impatiens in the patio planters. He loved adding new plants and flowers or sitting on his back patio enjoying his yard. His love of baking could be found in the many cakes and Christmas cookies he would bake for his family and friends. Sundays were for family and could find Thomas joining his family at the Benton’s Sunday Brunch “club” followed by an afternoon of watching old movies and musicals and finishing off the day with the cake of the week. His annual Christmas baking always included his Rum and Bourbon balls!

He is preceded in death by his father, Cecil Noah Hammonds, Sr; his mother, Irma Mary (Kraxner) and brother, Cecil Noah Hammonds, Jr. He is survived by his sister, Mary Elizabeth Porter (Hammonds) of Kansas City, MO, and family in Odessa, MO; his nephew and nieces: Roger Larry Porter, Jr. of Olathe, KS, Mary Anne Melloy (Porter) of Leawood, KS, and Cynthia Maria Standlea (Porter) of Kansas City, MO; grand-nieces and nephew: Melissa Lynn Arnold (Melloy) of Overland Park, KS, Meagan Marie Cochran (Melloy) of Rochester, MN, Cameron Morris Porter of Olathe, KS, and Alexandria (Lexie) Marie Porter of Olathe, KS; great-grand-nephew and nieces: Jotham Wayne Arnold, Inara Rose Maravene Arnold, Evangeline Marie Cochran, Annalea Thea Cochran, and Genevieve Hart Cochran.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to:

• Leawood City Foundation - https://leawood.org/committees-and-boards/leawood-foundation

• Cure of Ars Music Program

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