Mabel Hammond

She was born July 26, 1909 in Beaumont, Texas to Joseph and Bessie Didamer McCarvell Parks. She graduated from El Dorado Senior High School, attended Brenau College and graduated from an El Dorado Business and Stenography school.

She married Newton Gilbert Hammond on 12 November 1930 at the First Presbyterian Church of El Dorado. While working in 1927 as a secretary at Yocum Elementary School, she was asked to temporarily teach an elementary class, twelve years later, she quit teaching to have and raise her family. After raising her family, she volunteered in several El Dorado organizations, most notably for over thirty years at the Oak Ridge Nursing Home and then volunteered at the First Presbyterian Church until after her 100th birthday, when she felt she should "take it easy."

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Hardy Ledbetter Parks, sister Helen Esther Parks Travis, a son, Newton Gilbert Hammond, Jr., and husband Newton Gilbert Hammond.

She is survived by her daughter Mary Jo Oliver, husband Kenny Oliver and son, Parks Hammond; two granddaughters, Susan Turbeville and her husband Joey Turbeville of El Dorado and Sylvia Brady and her husband Sean Brady of Little Rock, Arkansas; four great grandchildren, Emile Turbeville of Little Rock, Arkansas, Trey Turbeville of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Mary Helene Brady and John Anderson Brady of Little Rock, Arkansas, nieces Joan Shrader of Baird, Texas and "Choo Choo" Meinert of River Ridge, Louisiana and many, many grand and great grand nieces and nephews. She was the hub of the extended "Parks" and "Hammond" families.

A private family burial will be held Tuesday, August 7 at 9:30 AM at Arlington Memorial Park and a Memorial Service at First Presbyterian Church of El Dorado at 10:30 AM with the Reverend Dr. Daniel Loomis presiding. A celebration of Mabel's life, and love and friendship will be held immediately following the Memorial Service in the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall. Mabel and her family request that memorials be made to either the Haiti Education Foundation, P. O. Box 10775, El Dorado, AR 71730, or the LifeTouch Hospice, 2301 Champagnolle Road, El Dorado, AR 71730 in lieu of flowers.

An online guest registry will be available at www.youngsfuneralhome.com.