Polly Susan Hammond

Born 1957 in Spokane, Washington, relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska in 1960 where she was raised.

Attended Sheridan Elementary School, Irving Jr. High School graduated Lincoln Southeast High School in 1975, and attended the University of Nebraska.

Became the first police composite artist for the Lincoln Police Department in 1979.

Moved to Kansas City in 1981 and became the composite artist for the metro area police departments for more than 30 years. She was integral in solving high profile cases such as the Ali Kemp murder, and Precious Doe. She went on to work for America’s Most Wanted and many other TV crime shows.

Taught drawing and painting in her own independently operated studios from 1994 to 2016, teaching workshops all over the USA, Mexico, and Europe.

A prolific writer, Lee was an author for North Light Books from 1993 to 2017, writing more than 35 books, DVD’s and articles on how to draw and paint realistically in a variety of techniques. She was skilled in every medium. Her books are still widely sold on Amazon and in bookstores.

In 2001, Lee became one of the first licensed female NASCAR© illustrators, creating drawings and prints of many of the teams and drivers. Her work was sold online and on QVC.

Her teaching took Lee all over the country. She wintered and then resided in Naples, Florida, where she taught art at the Rookery Bay Research Reserve.

A diagnosis of breast cancer in 2017, brought her back to Kansas to be closer to family, where she settled into Topeka, Ks, and taught art at the Topeka Art Guild and Gallery, until 2022. Another cancer diagnosis in 2022 put her into full retirement.

Polly “Lee” Hammond was preceded in death by her parents, William D. Hagen, Sr, and Dorothy Marie Hagen. (Sigler). She is survived by her children, Shelly Reynolds of Ekron, Kentucky, LeAnne Cummings of Shawnee, Ks, and Christopher Hammond II, of Lenexa, KS.

She was the grandmother to 7… Taylor, Gavyn, Caitlynn, Cayla, Colin, Cadence and Christopher Dale Hammond, III. She was a great grandmother to 6…. Jameson, Jaxxston. Kixx, Zander, Zayne, and Zepplyn.