Linda Faye Goddard Hammond, Longtime Chattanooga Resident, Passes Away

The retired accounts manager worked for East Tennessee Communications and InfoSystems before retiring to Maryville.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 1:06pm

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph in warm tones, depicting a softly lit, atmospheric scene of a cozy home interior with hints of personal mementos and family photographs, conceptually representing the life and legacy of Linda Faye Goddard Hammond.The passing of Linda Faye Goddard Hammond marks the end of an era for a woman who dedicated much of her professional life to the Chattanooga business community.Knoxville Today

Linda Faye Griffin Goddard Hammond, a longtime resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on April 1, 2026, at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, she spent her formative years living on or near Air Force bases as her father was an aircraft engine mechanic. After retiring from the Air Force, her family moved to Mobile, Alabama, where she later attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and began her career working at Proffitt's Department Store. She later worked as an accounts manager at East Tennessee Communications and InfoSystems before retiring to Maryville, Tennessee in 2015 with her husband, John Fredrick (Fred) Hammond.

Why it matters

Linda Faye Goddard Hammond's passing marks the end of an era for a woman who dedicated much of her professional life to the Chattanooga business community, working in the telecommunications industry for decades. Her story reflects the changing landscape of the region as military families settled in the area and businesses evolved over the course of her lifetime.

The details

After graduating from Lake Charles High School in Louisiana, Linda moved to Blount County, Tennessee in the mid-1960s, living in Maryville and Louisville before settling in Chattanooga in the mid-1990s. There, she worked as an accounts manager responsible for billing and account management at East Tennessee Communications, which was later sold to InfoSystems. She worked at InfoSystems for many years before retiring in 2015 and returning to Maryville with her husband.

  • Linda Faye Goddard Hammond was born on December 2, 1943 in Meridian, Mississippi.
  • She graduated from Lake Charles High School in Louisiana in 1961.
  • Linda moved to Blount County, Tennessee in the mid-1960s.
  • She began working at East Tennessee Communications in Chattanooga in the mid-1990s.
  • Linda retired in 2015 and moved back to Maryville, Tennessee with her husband.

The players

Linda Faye Griffin Goddard Hammond

A longtime resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee who worked in the telecommunications industry for decades before retiring in 2015.

John Fredrick (Fred) Hammond

Linda's husband, with whom she retired to Maryville, Tennessee in 2015.

Elsie Smith Griffin

Linda's mother.

Lloyd F. Griffin

Linda's father, who was an aircraft engine mechanic in the Air Force.

Cole Piper

The executive Linda worked for as an assistant at Proffitt's Department Store early in her career.

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The takeaway

Linda Faye Goddard Hammond's life story reflects the changing landscape of the Chattanooga region, as military families settled in the area and local businesses evolved over the decades. Her long career in the telecommunications industry and dedication to the local community will be missed.