William "Ray" Hamner

He was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 8, 1942, to Robert Felix and Margaret Atkins Hamner and was raised in Northport, Alabama. There is no doubt that Ray considered his greatest blessing to be his family. He enjoyed an almost 60-year marriage with Janice, his high school sweetheart, that was full of love, respect and dedication. Ray will be remembered as a diligent, persistent and hardworking man who recognized God’s blessing on his life, family, and friends.

Ray attended Tuscaloosa County High School. After graduation, he began work with Ed Love at the Tuscaloosa Water Works with promises of a career in management but was lured away to be a part of Northport’s first Fire Department. He rose thru the ranks to Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief and Fire Chief in a fire fighting career that spanned 31 years.

Ray was also involved in starting several businesses including A&H Car Wash and Willowbrook Mobile Home Park, along with two other mobile parks that he acquired and later sold. Ray was a member of Taylorville Baptist Church and previously a member of Northwood Lake Baptist Church (a plant church of Northport Baptist where his grandfather, B.F. Atkins, was the minister for 30 years).

“Daddy Ray”, as he was known to his grandchildren, was a lifelong fisherman, who loved to catch bass, bream and crappie and even joined the Fin & Feather Club in Lakeland, Florida in order to catch “bigger” bass. He also enjoyed deer hunting and was a member of several different clubs thru the years. In his younger days he enjoyed photography and crochet art (after a surgery that prevented him from doing much else). Ray enjoyed planting vegetables in his garden and growing wildflowers. He enjoyed attending concerts with Janice to see Elvis, Tom Jones, and Kenny Rodgers, among others.

Ray was a life-long University of Alabama Football fan and later in life he became a big supporter of the Alabama Softball Program, rarely missing a game on TV. But one of his greatest joys was attending his children’s and grandchildren’s sports events and supporting the American Christian Academy Football program where he volunteered so much of his time that he was publicly recognized for his many years of dedicated service. He was kind and generous, often helping people solve problems with his head, his hands or his wallet. If you needed something done, you could call Ray and he would be there with a tenacity to “fix it”.

Ray is survived by his wife, Janice Kyzer Hamner and three sons: William M. “Marty” Hamner (Susan), Kenneth Ray “Ken” Hamner (Stacey), Jeffrey “Todd” Hamner (Kristin) and nine “well above average” grandchildren: Mary Annis Veazey (Brooks), Rachel Margaret Hamner, William Martin “Will” Hamner Jr., “Foster” Dixon Hamner, Andrew Todd “Drew” Hamner, “Lily” Brooke Hamner, “Isabell” Joy Hamner, “Harper” Grace Hamner and “Claire” Mae Hamner: one great grandchild: “Ira Lynn” Veazey; three brothers: Robert Daniel Hamner (Carol), Frank Atkins Hamner (India), and Paul Felix Hamner and many wonderful nieces and nephews.

Ray’s family is grateful to have such a wonderful legacy from this God-fearing, generous, humble and determined man.

Honorary Pallbearers are Daddy Ray’s grandsons: Will, Foster and Drew Hamner and the City of Northport Fire Rescue Department.

A Celebration of Ray’s life will be held at Heritage Chapel, Tuesday, July 6th at 1pm with a reception to follow.