Doreen Hammack

Doreen Brooke Hammack, 87, of Waco, passed away August 26, 2009 at St. Catherine's LTC Center. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 29, 2009 at Oakcrest Funeral Home with Pastor Duane Hoxworth officiating. Burial will follow at Rosemound Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday August 28, 2009 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Doreen was born January 17, 1922 to Herbert Stanley Brooke and Ann Stocks Brooke in Batley, England. She completed her education in England and left home to join the Royal Air Force in 1942 during World War II where she met the love of her life, Grover T. Hammack. They were married in 1945 in Louth, England. In February 1946, Doreen came to the United States with their infant son to begin a new life with a new family and became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1951. Doreen was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who loved to cook for her family and baked an unknown number of cookies for her children's school events. Later in life, she graduated from Four C Business College and went on to teach bookkeeping for the school and later retired from the City of Waco Traffic Division in 1985. She was a charter member of Cogdell Memorial United Methodist Church. Doreen was a founding member of the Britannia Wives Club in Waco and enjoyed the monthly cups of tea with her British friends. She enjoyed reading, embroidery, crochet, and knitting, donating many caps and afghans for needy children. Her weekly Shanghai card games were also a source of enjoyment and friendship.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Grover, parents and a nephew.

She is survived by her son, James S. (Jim) Hammack, Sr. and wife Kathy; daughter, Linda Alleman and husband, Curtis; two sisters, Joyce Lewis of Caersws, Mid Wales, Great Britain, and Barbara Brooke of Ossett, Yorkshire, England; one brother, Derrick Brooke of Dewsberry, West Yorkshire, England; four grandchildren, James Jr. and wife Michelle, Brian Alleman, and wife Christy D, David Hammack, and Christy L. Alleman; two great-grandchildren; Ashley Alleman and Dylan Hammack; 1 nephew; and 1 niece.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cogdell Memorial United Methodist Church, 1201 West Highway 6, Waco TX 76710 or to the charity of your choice.