Abilene / Texas / United States
The Hamil Family Funeral Home is somewhat of a new beginning to a longtime heritage of funeral service to Abilene. The family first began in the funeral business in 1933. Pete & Mittie Elliott founded Elliotts Funeral Home in 1933. Their daughter, Jo Ann Elliott, joined her parents in the funeral home business in the 1950s. She married John Hamil in 1958, who was also a funeral director that worked for the Elliotts. In 1967, Pete Elliott passed away and John and Jo Ann Hamil along with Mittie Elliott continued to operate the business. In 1973, the name of the business was changed to Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. In 1986, John and Jo Anns son, Robert, became a licensed Funeral Director and joined the family business. In 1991, Mittie Elliott passed away and 1994 the business was sold to the Loewen Group, which was a large corporation that owned and operated funeral homes and cemeteries. In 1998, John passed away. Robert left the funeral home in 2002. His desire was to enter the funeral service industry in Abilene again as an independent and locally owned funeral home. The Hamil Family Funeral Home is NOT affiliated with any funeral home in Abilene. Robert and Karla Hamil hired J. Stuart Todd Architects, a specialist in funeral home design, and after many months of planning, construction of the new Hamil Family Funeral Home began in August of 2002. The building contractor was Rose Builders. In May of 2005, Robert and Karla were delighted to open the doors to the Abilene community as a locally owned and operated funeral home. They are very proud of their new facility, which exhibits an elegant, yet comfortable, home-like atmosphere. They are also very proud of their staff, which consists of Robert and Karla Hamil, owners and mangers, Kent Anderson, long-time family friend and experienced funeral director, Teresa Baucum, pre-need counselor, H.B. Terry, Ted Starnes and Leroy Mason. Jo Ann Hamil is a vital part of the new business and is very proud of her son in that she sees the third generation of funeral service continue in a way that she was taught by her parents. The Hamils legacy, beginning with the Elliotts to John and Jo Ann Hamil and now continuing with Robert and Karla Hamil, is to serve families in their time of need.
