Conover, WI and Bar Harbor
Paul William Hammond, 29, of Conover, Wisconsin, and with roots in Maine, died Tuesday, December 1, 2015, in a motor vehicle accident near Wausau, Wisconsin. Paul was born on June 21, 1986, in Portland, ME, to Scott S. and Debra W. Hammond and was lovingly named in memory of his maternal great grandfather Paul C. Marston, MD, and in honor of his maternal grandfather William E. Waye.
At a very early age, he developed a love of language and learning that he pursued throughout his life. He graduated from Mount Desert Island High School in 2004, from Rice University with a B.A. in 2008, and from the University of Memphis with a Ph.D. in 2014. In 2005, at Rice’s Baker College, Paul met Karen Spitzfaden, his partner in all things. Paul was a professor of philosophy.
To write only about Paul’s accomplishments is to misrepresent all that he was as a person. Paul was a brilliant scholar and a devoted teacher, but more importantly, he was kind, humble, caring, and generous to everyone he encountered, and especially to his friends and family. At Rice and at Memphis, Paul established himself as an enthusiastic student leader, both in and out of the classroom, and a friend to everyone. With his sharp wit, easygoing nature, and quick laugh, Paul was an unparalleled conversation partner and frequent board-game champion. Paul was always willing to join and help organize any adventure and liked to spend time reading, writing, baking, traveling, and being outside. Most of all, though, he enjoyed discussing ideas and current events; he was passionate about promoting well-reasoned and logical arguments and debate.
He will live in the hearts of so many people, including Karen of Minneapolis, MN; parents of Bar Harbor, ME; sister Tricia (Jamie) Thurlow and nephew and niece Gavin and Abigail of Bass Harbor, ME; maternal grandmother Mary Waye of Scarborough, ME; paternal grandparents Janet and Lee Hammond of Pine Grove, California; Karen’s father Tom Spitzfaden of Moline, IL; Karen’s siblings Kim and David Spitzfaden of Minneapolis, MN; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and beloved friends. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather William Waye, paternal grandmother Patricia Hammond, and Karen’s mother Cathy Spitzfaden.
Two Celebration of Life services will be held. One will be at 2:00 PM on Thursday, December 10th at Bar Harbor Congregational Church in Bar Harbor, ME. The other will be at 1:30 PM on Sunday, December 13th at Bethany Lutheran Church on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis, MN. Receptions will follow both services. Paul’s family and friends encourage that in lieu of flowers, memorials be made in Paul’s memory to the Paul Hammond Memorial Fund at Rice University (addressed to Rice University, Office of Development MS-81, PO Box 1892, Houston, TX 77251-1892) or to the Paul Hammond memorial, created to fund a local community need (addressed to The First, P.O. Box 258, Bar Harbor, Me 04609).
Arrangements in care of Jordan-Fernald, 1139 Main St., Mt. Desert. Condolences may be expressed at www.jordanfernald.com