Jo Ann Elliott Hamil

Jo Ann Elliott Hamil, 74, of Abilene, passed away Saturday, June 26, 2010 at the Seventh Floor Hendrick Hospice. Born November 16, 1935 in Abilene, Texas she was the only child of Pete and Mittie Elliott who founded Elliott's Funeral Home in Abilene, Texas in 1933. She was raised in a small house next door to the original Elliott's Funeral Home at North 2nd and Orange Street. Jo Ann grew up helping her parents in the funeral home. She graduated from Abilene High School in 1953. In 1954, she graduated from the Dallas Institute-Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science, of which she was the secretary of her class and one of only two women in her class. She received her Funeral Directors and Embalmers License in 1957, becoming the first woman in Taylor County to hold an Embalmers license. Her mother, Mittie, was the first woman in Taylor County to hold a Funeral Directors license of which she received in 1939. Jo Ann received her certificate of graduation from the National Foundation of Funeral Service School of Management in 1961. Jo Ann followed in her father's footsteps, in that she had a love for aviation and received her pilot's license and helped her father to run the Elliott's Air Ambulance Service for a number of years. While active in aviation, she was very involved with several women's pilot organizations including the Powder Puff Derby, a cross country aviation race. Over the years, she had been involved in numerous civic organizations and received several honors, including being named a Taylor County Pathfinder in 1988, an organization that honors women that are successful leaders and good examples to others in their chosen careers. But of all her works over the years, she was probably most proud of her time and work as a member of the Texas State Board of Morticians, of which she was appointed to in 1977 by then Governor Dolph Briscoe. She served as president of the Board in 1981 and 1982 and was the first woman to ever become president of that board. Jo Ann married John Robert Hamil on July 20, 1958 in Abilene, Texas. She and John operated the Elliott's Funeral Home along with her parents, Pete and Mittie. In 1974, they opened a second location and the name was changed to Elliott-Hamil Funeral Homes. Jo Ann retired from Elliott-Hamil several years after the funeral homes were sold to a corporation. She was very proud to be a part of her son and daughter-in-law's new funeral home, The Hamil Family Funeral Home, until her health prevented her from no longer being able to work. Jo Ann was a longtime member of the Church of the Heavenly Rest, Episcopal. Jo Ann was preceded in death by her father, Pete Elliott in 1967, her mother, Mittie Elliott in 1991 and her husband, John Hamil, in 1998. Jo Ann is survived by her three children, Cynthia Ann Hamil, of San Diego, California, Angela Hamil-Willis and her husband Rick, of Abilene, and Robert Hamil and his wife Karla, also of Abilene. She also leaves behind her pride and joy, her three grandsons, John Parker Willis, Aaron Elliott Hamil and John Austin Hamil, all of Abilene. Jo Ann Hamil has helped countless families in their time of loss and contributed countless hours to her community and to the funeral profession, of which was her passion and of which she was so proud to be associated. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, June 28, 2010 at the Church of The Heavenly Rest, Episcopal. The Reverend Mary Glover will officiate. Burial will follow in the Elliott-Hamil Garden of Memories Cemetery. Viewing will be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, June 27, 2010 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services will be under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home. The family would like to express their heartfelt appreciation to the nurses and staff at Hendrick Hospice Care for their compassion and care in Jo Ann's last weeks. The family asks that in lieu of flowers you consider memorial donations to one of the following charities that were special to Jo Ann: Christian Homes of Abilene, P.O. Box 270, Abilene, Texas 79604; Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, Texas 75219; or to Rescue The Animals, 4620 North 1st Street, Abilene, Texas 79603.