Dee Jay Hammon

Dee Jay Hammon of Brigham City, Utah, passed away on 12 October 2019 due to heart failure. He was born 4 December 1932 in Ogden, Utah, son of Heber Grant and Denise Brenchley Hammon. As a youth, he lived in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Roy, Sunset, and Sacramento, California. For the last 64 years, Dee Jay lived in Brigham City, Utah.

Dee Jay married Shirley Knight of Sunset, Utah, on 18 June 1954 in the Salt Lake City Temple. In June 2019, they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Together, they raised four children: Suzanne H. Merrell (Glade) of Tremonton, Daniel J. Hammon (Debbie) of Bountiful, Dianne Hammon of Midvale, and Steven K. Hammon (Lora) of Everett, Washington. Dee Jay and Shirley took pleasure in raising their four children, all of whom graduated from college. He is survived by his wife, Shirley, their four children, a sister, Cathy H. Sundwall (David), 10 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Dee Jay was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Hetty Sly, and a brother, Heber Grant Hammon, Jr.

During Dee Jay’s youth, his family withstood the many hardships caused by the Great Depression. While the family operated a small dairy farm in Roy, he did the many chores associated with farming. In 1948, the family started and operated a successful business in Sunset - Grant Hammon and Sons.

After attending eight public schools, Dee Jay graduated from Davis High School in 1951. He graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1956. In addition, Dee Jay graduated from Stanford University in 1958 with a M.S. in Engineering Mechanics. During high school, he joined the U.S. Naval Reserve where he served eight years.

Dee Jay’s professional career began in 1956 at Lockheed Missile and Space Company in Sunnyvale, California, in their honors graduate study program. Starting in 1958, he worked the next 37 years as a propulsion engineer and as an engineering manager for Thiokol Corporation. During his career, Dee Jay became the Chief Engineer on the Peacekeeper missile propulsion system and became the Vice President of Strategic Engineering at Thiokol’s Brigham City facility. He was also a registered Utah Professional Engineer.

In the community, Dee Jay served four years on the Brigham City Council. He also served as chairman of the City’s Planning Commission and chairman of the City’s Board of Adjustment. In 2000, Dee Jay was appointed by Governor Michael Leavitt to serve as chairman of the Utah Committee of Consumer Services. As chairman, he served the citizens of Utah for eight years advising the Utah Office of Consumer Services regarding all utility-rate matters pending before the Utah Public Service Commission.

Throughout his life, Dee Jay was a faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many stake and ward positions: two high councils, a bishopric, and a stake presidency. Recently, Dee Jay and Shirley served as ordinance workers in the Ogden Temple and the Brigham City Temple.

Dee Jay’s funeral service will be held Saturday, 19 October 2019, at 11:00 am at the Brigham City 14th Ward, 650 Anderson Drive, Brigham City, Utah. The viewing will be held on Friday, 18 October 2019, from 6-8 pm at Myers Mortuary, 205 South 100 East, Brigham City, Utah, and 9:30-10:30 am at the church prior to the funeral. Interment will be at the Roy City Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity.

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