His father’s career in the Air Force afforded an opportunity to travel. Karl attended elementary school in England and Manzano High School in Albuquerque, N.M., where he was senior class president.
An honors graduate in molecular biology at Princeton, Karl enrolled in Howard University College of Medicine. After graduating with honors, he received further training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine.
He was inducted into the prestigious American Medical Writers Association, and is the author of Your Child and Good Health. Karl served as medical officer on the U.S. Olympic Committee and served as a physician for the U.S. Olympic teams, including the Junior and Special Olympics. In 1988 his many contributions were chronicled in PAW. A year later, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Association of Black Princeton Alumni.
Karl is survived by his loving wife, Lady Marie Hammonds; his sons, Karl Jr. and Tyrone Jamal; his daughters, Karla Iman and Racquel Marie; his parents, Mary and James; his mother-in-law, Eunice Davis; brothers Eric Nowell Hammonds and Calvin Culmer; sister Beryl Kay Hammonds; and three grandchildren. The class extends deepest sympathy to them all.