On the morning of November 15, 2025, Richard “Rick” Arthur Hammond passed peacefully at home in Miles City, MT, surrounded by his family, after a courageous fight with end-stage kidney failure. Rick was 65 years old.
Rick was born on October 29, 1960, in Seattle, Washington, to Gloria Barrett and Clayton Hammond. He was the oldest of three sons; his brothers are Donald “Don” and Michael “Mike” Hammond.
Rick lived in Kent, Washington, as a child and enjoyed playing in the neighborhood with his brother Don and the neighborhood children. He enjoyed playing street baseball and soccer. His favorite sport was swimming, which he learned in the deep end of a pool, courtesy of a friend who wanted him to learn to swim quickly. Two weeks after the ordeal, he joined his local swimming team. He continued to swim through high school and into college, where he discovered a love of scuba diving. He would often scuba dive in Puget Sound with friends and his brother Don.
Rick attended college at Western Washington University with a focus in Chemical Engineering, but soon found a calling to join the military. Rick left Western Washington University to join the United States Air Force. He was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, MT. While stationed in Great Falls, he attended Fairview Baptist Church, where he was active in their Bus Ministry, Junior Church, and attended Mountain States Baptist College. While in bible college, Rick would fill in and preach during services, play his violin, and travel with the college singing group as their violinist. Rick attended night classes in bible college during his active-duty military career.
Rick’s military career started in 1982 when he joined the United States Air Force. He was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana. His specialty was administrative, and Rick enjoyed his job. During his career in the Air Force, Rick received many awards and medals, but the award that meant the most to him was the John Levato award. Rick was a humble man and did not display his awards, but spoke fondly of receiving this award. In 1986, Rick transitioned to the Air National Guard and continued until 1990, when he left the military for a higher calling.
While Rick attended Mountain States Baptist College, he met the love of his life, Jana Lynn Leach. They began seeing each other seriously in 1985 and became engaged in August 1985. They married on December 27, 1985. They welcomed their first daughter, Kari, in November 1986 and their second daughter, Heather, in 1988. They welcomed their first son, Mark, in 1990. Their two youngest children followed, a daughter, Rebekah, in 1994, and a son, Andrew, in 1999. Rick and Jana called Dillon, Montana, home from 1994 to 2022.
Rick graduated from Mountain States Baptist College in May of 1990, and he and Jana moved with their family to Stevensville, Montana. Rick had been called to be an Assistant Pastor at Florence Baptist Church in Florence, Montana. Rick served as the Assistant Pastor at Florence Baptist Church, where he oversaw the bus ministry and the Jr. Church. This is where he acquired the name Pastor Rick. Pastor Rick served faithfully in Florence Baptist Church until 1993, when he felt called by the Lord to go to Dillon, Montana. He went to Dillon to candidate for a church that needed a pastor. Although the church did not call him, the Lord laid on Pastor Rick’s heart to plant a church in Dillon, Montana. In the summer of 1994, Pastor Rick and his family moved to Dillon and planted Bethany Baptist Church. The church started in their kitchen and was very small, but over a few months, it outgrew the kitchen, and Bethany Baptist Church began meeting in a building in town. In 1999, Bethany Baptist Church broke ground on a building just outside of Dillon. The church decided to rename to Stone Creek Bible Church. Pastor Rick went on to pastor Stone Creek until his retirement in 2022.
Pastor Rick enjoyed many hobbies. A long-time favorite was coin collecting. He enjoyed reading about coins and looking for rare coins to add to his collection. Rick enjoyed hunting and shooting, especially with his children. He enjoyed reloading bullets to use in these activities. Other hobbies he enjoyed were fishing, swimming, and reading. In his later life, Rick enjoyed listening to podcasts about politics and listening to sermons.
In October of 2020, Pastor Rick went into end-stage kidney failure and found a new mission field, witnessing from his dialysis chair three times a week. He was an encouragement and witness to fellow dialysis patients, nurses, and doctors. He will be forever missed.
Rick is preceded in death by his parents, Gloria Barrett and Clayton Hammond, his brother Michael Hammond, and his son Mark Hammond.
Rick is survived by his wife, Jana Leach Hammond, and his brother Don Hammond; daughters Kari (David) Rash, Heather (Ben) Vande Sandt, Lorissa (Kevin) Hammond-Hernandez, and Rebekah Hammond, and son Andrew (Ashly) Hammond. Grandchildren: Brieanna Rash, Zachary Rash, Autumn Vande Sandt, Dawson Vande Sandt, Spenser Rash, Hunter Hammond, Jadelynn Rash, Jeremy Hammond, Connor Hammond, Kaycee Rash, Phillip Washkow, and Samuel Hammond-Hernandez.
Special thanks to the hospice care team that took diligent care of Pastor Rick and his family during this time. Special thanks to Pastor Ken and Natalie Evans and Fellowship Baptist Church. Special thanks to friends and family who have reached out and offered condolences at this time.
A private graveside will be held at the Eastern Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery in Miles City. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Miles City.
Any personal messages to the family can be sent to stevensonandsons.com, and any cards for the family can be sent to 211 South Lake Avenue, Miles City, MT 59301.
Deb Kingsley says
Jana and family
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I pray that God will bring peace and comfort to your hearts. We have the blessed assurance that we will one day be reunited with those we love. Let that sustain you in the days to come.
Danette & David Olguin says
Jana and family I am so sorry for your loss and my thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this difficult time.
Elin Ahmadpour says
Dear Jana and family,
Words cannot express how deeply sorry we are for the loss of Rick. I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know him these past couple of years. Rest assured he’s in the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You have our deepest sympathy at this difficult time.
Elin, Naser, and Parsa Ahmadpour