Merle Hammack

Edith Merle Lewis Hammack died peacefully at home April 27, 2015, after a long illness.
She was predeceased by her parents, Wendell ""Wendy"" Clyde Lewis Sr. and Edith Summers Woodward Lewis, a sister, Alice Lewis Meder, and a brother, Wendell Clyde Lewis Jr.
She is survived by her husband of 50 years, Thomas Hammack Jr., two sons, Donald Thomas Hammack (Carla) and Wendell Franklin Hammack (Cynthia), a sister, Jane Blanton (Henry), a grandson, Dominick William Hammack, and an ""adopted daughter"" Rachel Pennington and many nieces and nephews.
Merle was born at King's Daughter Hospital in Gulfport. She graduated from Gulfport High School in 1960 and earned an associate of science in education at Perkinston Junior College in 1962. She earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Mississippi State University in 1964, and a master's degree in education with a specialty as media librarian from Eastern Kentucky University in 1979.
She taught at Stone High, St. John High School, Quarles Elementary, Long Beach High School, DeLisle Elementary, Pass Christian Middle School and Green Valley Elementary in Birmingham, Ala.
She loved to sing, and was in the choir at Perk and MSU. She loved reading mysteries and watching sports. She was loved by her family, her library kids and all who knew her. Merle loved working at Beauvoir, where she was able to meet and enlighten people from all over the country and the world. She volunteered for Harrison County Emergency Management, where she handled calls during numerous hurricanes. She was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Pass Christian Flotilla 35 for almost 23 years.
Even though she was unable to walk, she worked more than 750 hours for the Coast Guard Auxiliary handling telephone calls during the BP oil spill. Among her awards were the prestigious Special Operations Service Ribbon and the Award of Operational Merit.
Services, which will be officiated by her nephew, the Rev. Jeff Hammack, will be Saturday at 3 p.m. at Riemann Family Funeral Home in Long Beach. Visitation begins at 1:30. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Gulfport.
Honorary pallbearers will be the wonderful people of Southern Care Hospice, the members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Harrison County Emergency Management Agency, and the Masons of Mississippi and sitters Shanell Ellis and Sherrell Green.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the American Parkinson Disease Gulf Coast Support Group, 2224 Milner Blvd., Gulfport, 39507; Beauvoir; or a charity of your choice in her name. Or just read a book to your favorite kid.