City mourns loss of longtime pharmacist

Jacksboro lost a beloved community member Saturday with the death of Ralph Hammond following a recent illness. He was 90 years old.

Hammond was the owner and pharmacist of City Drug for more than 50 years.

He bought the business with his father, John, in 1960. Though Ralph retired from City Drug about a year ago, the Hammond family continues to operate the business with his son, Rod, who began working alongside him in 1973, continuing his work as a pharmacist and granddaughter-in-law Becky Hammond as pharmacy manager.

Kalyn Qualls has worked with the Hammonds as a pharmacist for 5 1/2 years. She also worked at City Drug while going to pharmacy school.

“He was a good example. He and Rod, made me want to be a pharmacist — the way they run their business and how they are with people,” Qualls said. “When I became a pharmacist, they pushed me to be a better pharmacist. I worked for another pharmacy before, but Rod and Ralph made me want to be a better pharmacist.”

Ralph was active in the community in many ways. He was a member of the Lions Club, Red Cross, Masonic Lodge and active in his church, Memorial Christian.

County Judge Mitchell Davenport remembers working with Ralph with the Parish of Memorial Christian and First Presbyterian.

“One of the ways he will be missed is that he was a really good decision maker,” Davenport said. “I worked with him on minister search committees. He stayed quiet a lot of the time, but when he spoke people knew his thoughts would be very well thought through.”

To read the complete article, see the Oct. 28 edition of the Herald-Gazette.