John A. Hammond

SUTTON - John A. Hammond, 81, of Sutton, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on May 19, 2026, at Brookside Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, on December 2, 1944, John was the son of Alden W. Hammond and Elizabeth (Atwater) Hammond. He attended Red Bank High School before graduating from Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, in 1963. He later attended Lafayette College and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Boston State College. Following his education, John proudly served in the United States Navy during the Vietnam era as a Hospital Corpsman, where his experiences caring for veterans and patients helped shape the compassionate path he would follow throughout his life.

John dedicated his professional life to caring for others as a registered nurse, counselor, administrator, and advocate. Over the course of his career, he worked in psychiatric care, addiction recovery, hospice care, and healthcare administration. After achieving sobriety more than 45 years ago, he became especially devoted to helping those struggling with addiction and recovery. During the AIDS crisis, John served as Admissions Director at Mission Hill Hospice, where he helped hundreds of young men and their families navigate the final stages of life with dignity, compassion, and humanity — work he described as both the most exhausting and richly rewarding of his life.

A thoughtful and principled man, John believed strongly in acting according to his conscience. Throughout his life, he participated in peaceful anti-war demonstrations and remained committed to causes rooted in compassion, justice, and human dignity.

Music was also a lifelong part of John’s identity. Raised in a family deeply connected to choral and classical music through his father’s work as a conductor and educator, John developed a lasting love of singing and performance. He sang in choirs for many years, including at the Second Church in Newton, and continued to enjoy performing throughout his life, including alongside his brother David at Carnegie Hall in 2014.

John also found joy in simple and meaningful moments: swimming in the ocean, a perfectly ripe mango, attending baseball games, and caring for his beloved dog Chiki. He especially cherished his role as a father and grandfather, and spending time with the people he loved the most.

In retirement, John and his partner, Susana, made their home along the Pacific coast of Peru, where he embraced the rhythm of coastal life, found great peace by the ocean, and became part of Susana’s large extended family and community.

John is survived by his partner of 22 years, Susana Galdos; his sons, Matthew Enright and his wife Sarah of Enfield, Connecticut, and their children, Brayden and Emily; Scott Hammond of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts; Andrew Hammond and his wife Raquel of Sutton, Massachusetts, and their son, Alden. He is also survived by his sister, Marcie Hammond of Sandwich, Massachusetts; his brothers, David Hammond and his wife Barbara of Malden, Massachusetts, and Stuart Hammond of Portland, Maine; along with many extended family members and dear friends whose lives were enriched by his kindness, compassion, humor, and thoughtful spirit.

John’s life was defined by empathy, curiosity, conviction, and the care he showed to others. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by all who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Brookhaven Hospice, 5 Mt. Royal Ave, Ste. 40, Marlborough, MA 01752. 

A memorial service to celebrate John’s life will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 446 Hamilton St Southbridge, MA 01550. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall. 

An online guestbook and video tribute are available at ww.BelangerFuneralHome.com