Larry David Hamby Sr.

September 12, 1947 – June 26, 2026

There are very few Texas originals left, and even fewer true Texas legends. Larry David Hamby Sr. was one of them.

Larry passed peacefully at his home on Friday morning, June 26, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. He was 78 years old.

Born on September 12, 1947, at Brackenridge Hospital in Austin, Texas, Larry was the son of Chester and Mayful Hamby and one of eleven children. Growing up in Central Texas, life was not easy. He learned the value of hard work at an early age, picking cotton, tending gardens, hunting, and helping provide for his family. Those humble beginnings shaped a man whose determination, resilience, and unwavering work ethic became the foundation of his life.

Although he left school after the tenth grade to help support his family, Larry never allowed circumstances to define his future. Through grit, perseverance, and natural ability, he earned his Master's Plumbing License and built successful businesses, Hambone Plumbing and Hambone Sewer & Septic. Throughout Central Texas, the Hamby name became known for honesty, quality workmanship, and a handshake that meant something. Larry was proud to be a self-made man, but even more proud of the people he was able to help along the way.

His commitment to serving others extended beyond his business. Larry was an active member of his community through the Rotary Club and the Jaycees, where he generously gave his time and talents. Whether helping a neighbor, mentoring someone starting out, or quietly assisting a family in need, he believed success was measured not by what you accumulated, but by what you gave back.

Anyone who met Larry remembered him. Dressed in his cowboy hat, pearl snap shirt, with a cigarette in one hand and a pen in his pocket, he carried himself with quiet confidence, an unforgettable smile, and the rare gift of making strangers feel like lifelong friends. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, negotiate any deal, tell stories that left a room laughing, and welcome complete strangers to his dinner table. He believed a person's character mattered far more than their circumstances and treated everyone with dignity and respect.

Larry loved life. He spent his younger years dancing at the Broken Spoke and other Texas dance halls, where he became known for his smooth moves and effortless charm. He loved classic country music, wrote songs of his own, and every year called each of his children on their birthday to sing them a song he made up just for them. Those birthday songs became one of his greatest gifts; a tradition his family will treasure forever.

Above all else, Larry loved his family.

Blessed with twelve children, Larry devoted his life to teaching them the values he believed mattered most: work hard, keep your word, forgive quickly, and always show up for the people you love. He believed there was no such thing as "I can't," and that every challenge could be overcome with determination. Many of life's greatest lessons came while digging ditches, running heavy equipment, fishing at the lake, riding horses, tubing the Guadalupe River, working alongside him on plumbing jobs, or simply riding in the truck listening to stories, songs, and words of wisdom.

Family was everything to Larry. Christmas mornings were legendary, family barbecues brought generations together, and no child, grandchild, spouse, or great-grandchild was ever forgotten. He made it his mission to ensure everyone felt loved, welcomed, and included. No one was left out. No one was left behind.

In later years, Larry found great happiness traveling with his beloved wife, Barbara. Together they explored Texas back roads, flea markets, antique stores, and small towns, turning an eight-hour drive into fourteen because Larry never missed an opportunity to stop, meet someone new, or discover another story. Even then, he remained happiest when he was working, checking on jobs, climbing back onto a backhoe, helping at the shop, or lending a hand wherever he was needed. He often said that a lack of work would kill a man, and he lived every day proving the opposite.

Larry was a faithful man and an active member of St. Richard's Episcopal Church. He found comfort in God's promise found in Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He often encouraged those around him to "multiply and be fruitful," not only in family but in kindness, generosity, and the way they lived their lives.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Chester and Mayful Hamby, and nine of his siblings.

He is survived by his devoted wife, Barbara Hamby; his children, David Joe Johnson, Larry Hamby Jr., Melissa Hamby, Donna Hamby, Melinda Hamby, Amie Hamby, Andrea Elswick, Kate Woods, Sarah Hamby, John Hamby, Lari Hamby, and Victoria Hamby; his brother, Jimmy Hamby; 36 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; and countless extended family members, dear friends, neighbors, customers, and all whose lives were enriched by knowing him.

Larry often joked, "I'm rough, tough, hard to bluff, and damn good looking too!" Those who knew him understood there was far more truth in those words than humor alone. Beneath the tough cowboy exterior was a man of deep faith, unwavering integrity, boundless generosity, and unconditional love.

His boots have finally come to rest, but the legacy he built will continue for generations. It lives on in every lesson he taught, every hand he held, every life he touched, and every member of his family who carries forward his values of faith, hard work, honesty, compassion, and love.

A true Texas legend has ridden on, but his story will never end.