Henry R. Hamman

Henry R. Hamman was born in Houston to Lenoir and John Hamman, Jr. on the 15th of June 1937, and passed away peacefully at his home in Houston on Thursday, the 11th of May 2023. He was 85 years of age.

He attended St. John’s School, The Lawrenceville School and the University of Texas at Austin where had obtained Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Geology degrees. It was there that he also met his love and wife of 63 years, Ann Hamman.

Henry was the president of Hamman Oil and Refining Company, a fourth-generation family owned oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Texas. He was proud to be a Texan and proud to be an independent oil man. As he said, his first time in the “oil patch” was in Calvert, Texas, working with his Dad when he was a teenager, and after that the oil field was in his blood. His love of Earth Sciences led him to a long term and happy relationship with the Houston Museum of Natural Science where he served as a Trustee and advisor for many decades.

Henry was constantly curious and a lifelong learner. But his true intellectual love was geology. He supported the Jackson School of Geosciences through scholarships, programs and the recently opened Henry R. and Ann H. Hamman Gem and Mineral Gallery in the Jackson Geology Building at The University of Texas at Austin. He was a member of the All-American Wildcatters Association, Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientists, and American Association of Petroleum Geologists. During his career he served as a director of Q Services, Pennzenergy and Devon Energy Corp.

Henry was a fervent philanthropist and served as the president of the George and Mary Josephine Hamman foundation for many years, issuing thousands of college scholarships and supporting numerous community organizations. He was an ardent conservationist and taught his family always to preserve the natural beauty of land. Following this passion for conservation, he became an Advisory Board member and later Chair of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute. He also held roles in the Matagorda Bay Foundation, Coastal Conservation Association, Texas Heart Institute and Retina Research Foundation.

Henry never lost his innate adventurous spirit. Although his passion for quail hunting was always at the forefront locally, he and family travelled extensively exploring Asia, Europe, and Africa. In 1970, they settled in Sydney, Australia for four years where Henry pursued mining and real estate opportunities.

Henry’s gregarious nature led him to become a part of the fabric of a number of social organizations in Houston including the Bayou Club of Houston, and River Oaks Country Club. Henry had an infectious sense of humor and always had a twinkle in his eye. He was kind, generous and charismatic-a lifelong friend to many who touched more along the way with his quick wit and intellect. Henry was a true Texas gentleman.

Henry Married Ann Hufendick in 1959 and they loved each other for over 63 years. Together Ann and Henry had three children and nine grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his parents, John Hamman, Jr. and Lenoir Bowen Hamman; and his brothers, John Hamman III and William George Hamman.

He is survived by his wife, Ann Hufendick Hamman; his daughters, Anne Hamman Brollier and her husband Stephen, Kendall Hamman Connors and her husband Michael, and son, Russell Royden Hamman and his wife Kelly; grandchildren, George Henry Shepherd, Sam Hamman Shepherd, Maude Lenoir Shepherd, Emma Ann Shepherd, Royden Neal Connors, Kyle Margaret Connors, Margaret Jane Connors, Coretta Kathleen Hamman, and Robert Royden Hamman.

A memorial service is to be conducted at three o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, the 17th of May, at The Church of St. John the Divine, 2450 River Oaks Boulevard in Houston, where the Rev. Neal McGowan, Associate Rector will officiate.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception at a venue to be announced during the service.

Prior to the service, the family will gather for a private entombment at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, the family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions in his name be directed to The Houston Museum of Natural Science at https://www.hmns.org/checkout/donate; or to The Matagorda Bay Foundation at https://matbay.org/donate/