On Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023 the Hamel family lost their Patriarch; Warren Devoe Hamel, 93, a child of God was called home. A Son, Brother, Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, was born May 28, 1930 in Joplin, AR, to Odus and Gloria Hamel. The oldest of five, cotton farm raised children. Warren had four great loves in his life, Jesus Christ, his wife, his family and the land.
Warren graduated from Clover Bend High School in 1950 and shortly after moved from the farm to Kansas City where he started work in home construction; leading to establishing the Mud Dobber Drywall Company with his brother, Shorty. From 1960 to 1992, Warren worked in the home construction/improvement field; Drywall, framing, Sears Home Improvement, establishing Mud Dobber Home Construction and Real Estate Company, Home Depot, to retiring from Sears Home Improvement in Houston, TX.
In 1996 with his said greatest blessing and gift from the Lord, Roberta Fern Hamel, he endeavored his fourth great love returning to Farm Life and becoming the steward of The Twin Oaks Farm in El Dorado Springs. He was a true steward of the land God gave him. He loved his farm from haying to the cows, however his true enjoyment was sowing the land to grow tomatoes, corn, beans, melons, trees, shrubs and flowers. Every year endeavoring to make it bigger and better. He had two sayings, “Leave it better than you found it” and “you get out of the land what you put into it”. In 2012 he officially retired to Bolivar.
Warren had one story he loved to tell to just about everyone he met. He would roar with laughter turning to tears of how he met his wife on the last sales call of the day of which he was considering to postpone for a fence installation that led to the Oct. 29, 1970 wedding of Warren and Roberta Hamel in Independence. They have loved and enjoyed 53 years together growing, sharing and raising their combined five children, nine grandchildren and two adopted grandchildren. He loved, served and lived in Gods hands; loved and worked the farm with his family; earned a Law Degree; loved and built a Christian family; constructed homes; loved people, he never met a stranger by sharing his stories and always helping others. He lived a life of Love, Honor and Integrity.
Warren is preceded in death by his parents, Odus and Gloria Hamel; sister, Evelyn Greeson; brother, Buford (Shorty) Hamel; daughter, Rebecca Jane Hamel and son, David Devoe Hamel.
His is survived by wife, Roberta Fern Hamel; sister, Amelia Kathrine (Midge) Meyers; sister, Gloria Jean Abney; daughter, Cynthia Ann Hamel; son, Charles Dale Snead; son, Russell David Snead; nine grandchildren; two adopted grandchildren, Tessie Russell and Timmothy Rahman.
Services for Warren were held Thursday, August 31, at the Butler Funeral Home, Bolivar.
The family has asked that all memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society.