On August 30, 2020; J. O. HAMBY passed away. He is the beloved husband of the late Sylvia Dozier Hamby; loving father of Susan Long (John), Laurie Murphy, and Jeff Hamby (Ann); cherished grandfather of John Long III, Austin Hamby, Julia Bonomo, Audrea King, Jenny Long, Jillian Mann, Jake Hamby, and Kelley Murphy; devoted great grandfather of ten great grandchildren; dear brother of the late T. A. Hamby, Jr.
J. O. Hamby was born on November 10, 1926 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. At the age of 8, he moved with his family to New Orleans, Louisiana, where he later met his wife, Sylvia Dozier Hamby, in the youth group at his church.
During WWII, J. O. served in the Naval Air Force as a radar operator for the crew of a PB4Y-2 naval patrol aircraft. When he returned from his service, he finished his double B.S. degree in physics and calculus from Tulane University. On August 28, 1948, he attended his graduation in the morning and got married to Sylvia later that day!
In 1950, after working for an oil company and moving several times, J. O. got a job with Westinghouse, (now Northrop Grumman), as an electrical engineer, and J. O. and Sylvia finally settled down in Baltimore, Maryland. Shortly after that, they begin attending Chapelgate Presbyterian Church on North Avenue in Baltimore City. J. O. faithfully served there for many years as a trustee, and an elder, and was on the board of Chapelgate Academy. He was also was involved in Chapelgate’s ministry to the Helping Up Mission downtown in various ways, including playing piano for the worship services.
In March, 1986, J. O. and Sylvia joined the Gideons International. They loved being a part of spreading the Gospel around the world through the distribution of Bibles. They were also involved in the Gideon jail ministry.
J. O. worked at Westinghouse for 41 years. He worked on a team that developed the first American night vision device for the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. He was also the chairman of the team that produced the first lunar camera that went to the moon on the famous Apollo 11 mission in 1969. He was a consultant for Cape Canaveral during the mission.
J. O. and Sylvia had 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 10 great- grandchildren. His love and devotion to Sylvia and to each child was evident as he enjoyed each birthday, vacation, and holiday celebration. He enjoyed photography, playing the piano, bowling, and coin collecting.
As a family, we feel very blessed to have had J. O. in our lives. We hope to carry on his Godly legacy of love, generosity and deep devotion to our Lord and to our families, and that we would be a stabilizing force in our homes as he was in ours. In our hearts we can hear the Father saying, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Family will receive friends on Tuesday, September 8 from 12-1PM at the Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville, Inc., 1630 Edmondson Avenue, Catonsville, MD 21228. Funeral services and burial at Meadowridge Memorial Park are private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 582, Columbia, MD 21045 or to Chapelgate Presbyterian Church, 2600 Marriottsville Road, Marriottsville, MD 21104.
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