Harley Loyd Hamaker's Obituary
Harley Loyd Hamaker was born January 22, 1937, in Shattuck, Oklahoma, and died on March 1, 2021, in Clements Hospital, Dallas, Texas, from a short illness caused by colon cancer. He was the first of four siblings and the only son of Loyd Irvin and Evangeline Mary Toellner Hamaker, second generation German pioneers in northwest Oklahoma, who were wheat farmers and custom harvesters with crews and numerous combines cutting wheat each summer from Texas to the Canadian border. Harley was a tremendous asset to his dad on the farm and with the family’s business. His kind, strong character was a result of this upbringing.
He attended school in Fargo, Oklahoma, and graduated in industrial engineering from Oklahoma State University (formerly Oklahoma A&M) in 1961, a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated as a layman with a Masters of Divinity (then a BD degree) in 1964 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, majoring in Hebrew and Greek and continuing a lifelong love of studying and teaching God’s Word. It was there that he met his wife with whom he shared life for 57 years, Celeste Parker of Talladega, Alabama. They married in 1963 and lived first in Fort Worth, Texas, moving to Richardson, Texas, in 1967. They had three sons, Kent, Parker and Blake.
His first job was with the now defunct Montgomery Ward Catalog store in Fort Worth, Texas, as an industrial engineer, and said that this was the best training one could have in learning how to run things efficiently. His next job was with Collins Radio, Richardson, Texas, in 1967. Since Collins was bought-out by North American Rockwell and then by Alcatel, he often joked, “I worked for three different companies without ever moving my desk.” This job took him on extended assignments in Germany and Mexico. He retired from Alcatel in 2001.
Just as his family overcame obstacles on their Oklahoma farm, Harley struggled this past November 19 to March 1 against colon cancer which lurked unknowingly in his body. Harley’s silent enemy stealthily multiplied the cancer cells in his body in a two month time, hoping to defeat him but did not. He triumphed over death when he sang “Alleluia” to the Lord on March 1.
He was a charter member in 1972 of Spring Valley Baptist Church in Dallas, which later became Park Central Baptist Church. Ironically, he now closes the chapter of this church’s forty-ninth year history following its merger with Lake Pointe Church and the ongoing renovation of the church. Serving as a Sunday School teacher and deacon for over fifty-four years, he worked tirelessly and knew the minutiae of the church’s facilities and grounds, spending countless hours in behind-the-scenes service.
He is survived by his wife, Celeste, and their sons, Kent Harley Hamaker (Christine), Parker Edward Hamaker, and Blake Richard Hamaker (Michele); and six grandchildren, Brittany Hamaker, Nathaniel Hamaker (Joanna), Zachary Hamaker, Reilly Hamaker, Hannah Hamaker and Macie Hamaker. He is also survived by his three sisters whom he adored and they adored him back: Jean Nutter (Larry), Cleo Thomas, and Sheree Norman (Mark); treasured nieces and nephews; cousins who are as close as siblings; and friends and neighbors as far back as grade school. He is preceded in death by his parents, Loyd and Evangeline “Babe” Hamaker, brother-in-law, Frank Thomas, and step-mother, Millie Dubes Hamaker.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, you donate to Dallas Baptist Association Woman’s Missionary Union, Harley Hamaker Missions Scholarship Fund, 8001 E RL Thornton Freeway, Dallas, Texas 75228 so that children and youth may attend missions camps, short-term missions trips, and missions activities for which money is required. Woman’s Missionary Union will oversee your gifts.
Or, you may donate to honor Harley to one of these cancer organizations: The American Society of Clinical Oncology at https://www.conquer.org or the International Society of Geriatric Oncology at https://www.siog.org/home. Both groups are leaders in improving care for older cancer patients in the US and the world.
Services are 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at Park Central Baptist Church, 7777 LBJ Freeway, Dallas 75251 with burial at Restland Cemetery at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be 3:00PM- 5:00PM on March 15 at Restland Funeral Home.
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