A graveside service was held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, in Oakwood Cemetery in Winona for Mrs. Lila West Hammond, 87, of Winona, who died on Thursday, Aug. 7, in Vaiden. The Rev. Jay Anderson officiated. A visitation was held from 1 p.m. until service time on Sunday, Aug. 10, at Oliver Funeral Home of Winona.
Lila was born on Nov. 26, 1937, the youngest of eight children born to the late Thomas Walker and the late Annie Lee Persons West. She graduated Macon High School in Macon in 1955. Lila married Edward Arnold Hammond Jr. on May 30, 1956. Together, as Ed served in the United States Air Force, they moved to Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, in July 1956.
In 1960, upon Ed completing his military service, the couple returned to Ed’s hometown of Winona where he was hired to work alongside his father, Edward Arnold Hammond, at Hammond Wholesale Company. Shortly thereafter, Lila began working at Bank of Winona and continued for many years. Lila was also an active member of First Baptist Church of Winona where she served as a Sunday school teacher and in the choir. She found joy in cooking for her family for many years.
In addition to her parents, her siblings, Thomas Waddell West, Billy Earl West, Margaret Watkins, Eloise Moffett and Ermagene Bryan, preceded Lila in death.
Survivors include, her husband of 69 years, Edward Arnold “Ed” Hammond Jr.; three children, Kathy Hammond Nash (Gary) of Fairhope, Ala., Eddie Hammond (Gay) of Winona and Mary Lee Hammond Bergwall (Todd) of Loudon, Tenn.; seven grandchildren, Gary Nash Jr., (Allison), Keely Nash Forsdick (Andrew), Jenny Claire Hammond Dyre (Justin), West Hammond (Jessica), Peyton Bergwall King (Jonathan), Meredith Bergwall Friday (Kolby) and Riley Grace Bergwall; 10 great grandchildren, James Forsdick, Laura Frances Forsdick, Wilton Nash, Caroline Nash, Hammond Dyre, Kate Dyre, Reeves Hammond, Tolson King, John Merritt King and Silas Friday, and sisters, Dorothy Faye Coleman of Schlater and Ernestine Foresman of McDonough, Ga.
Serving as pallbearers were Gary Nash Jr., West Hammond, Andrew Forsdick, Billy Chesteen, Allen Pratt and Dave Pratt.
The family would like to express a heartfelt thank you to the entire staff and residents of Vaiden Community Living Center for the love and care shown to Lila during the last six years.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to First Baptist Church of Winona, P.O. Box 408, Winona, MS 38967.
Online condolences can be expressed to the family at www.ofhwinona.com
Oliver Funeral Home of Winona was in charge of arrangements.
