Josephine Vigil Hamaker

Mrs. Hamaker was born on May 23, 1940 to Raymond George Vigil and Mary Virginia Griego Vigil of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She loved God, her church, her country, and her family with all her heart. A very giving person, she made the needs of others a priority throughout her life.

Josie was a reliable member of two organizations, AT&T where she retired after 30 years and the Little Rock West Assembly of God, formerly Maumelle Assembly of God Church, where she faithfully served for over 51 years.

Josie was known as an encourager and a prayer warrior who actively participated with her church’s prayer chains. She would listen when friends or family shared their needs and would pray with them in person or over the phone. She had a list of people she prayed for daily. She loved southern gospel and worship music. She listened to the “Gospel Hallelujah” station 24/7 as loud as she could. She loved to sing. She ministered by cooking meals for church dinners, teaching young girls as a Missionette leader, translating sermons into Spanish, providing meals for pastors, guest ministers or the homesick book salesmen that came by each summer. She loved to read and study the Bible and completed the Berean Bible Study.

Her hobbies were camping, motorcycling with her husband, crocheting blankets for all her loved ones, making “scrubbies” to give away to friends and family, cake decorating, and flower arranging. She loved shopping and getting things on sale. She was known for her cooking and introduced her community to Hispanic specialties like salsa, tostadas, Spanish rice, and enchiladas years before the cuisine was readily available in Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 64 years, Leroy “Larry” Hamaker; her brother, George Vigil; her sisters, Mary “Carrie” Vigil Rodrigues and Sarita Vigil Oliveira; granddaughter, Lindsay Thomasson Bracken and great grandson, Quentin Bracken.

She is survived by her sister, Consuelo Moran; her brother Leo (Sophie) Vigil; her daughters, Vicky (Cecil) Watts and Denise (Mark) Thomasson; grandchildren Brian (Nikki) Watts, Nicole Watts Alexander, Courtney (Andrew) Shaffer, Kelsey Thomasson, and James Bracken; great grandchildren Elijah Bracken, Grayson Bracken, Aiden Watts, Gavin Watts, William Alexander, Lewis Alexander, and Jude Shaffer.