Mark Hamel

Our dad gets to celebrate with Jesus up in heaven today! From the first day we came into this earth, We knew we had the greatest father around! He was a best friend, the greatest role model, the best husband to our mother, the greatest grandpa, a dream chaser, a go-getter, the most passionate, loving, caring, hardworking, loyal, respectful, smart, goofy, charismatic, athletic, strongest, outgoing, talented, cheerful, unselfish, giving, awesome dad we could have asked for to help raise us into the men and woman we are today! Today is a celebration for him because he has no more pain and he is no longer suffering, and he now has complete healing! We know you will be with our family and always protecting and strengthening us! We love you Pops and we are forever grateful we got to spend the best of our lives with you! You're our hero, you're our Superman and now you're our angel up in heaven watching down on all of us!

Our dad, Mark Anthony Hamel, was born on October 19th, 1953 in Cozad, Nebraska and had his victory day on July 13th, 2017 at 1:04 PM. We all knew it was 1 pm, but you know what they say... gotta go by the doctor's time. He always liked things starting and finishing on odd times. My dad, MSgt Mark Anthony Hamel always told us his mom named him Mark so that no matter what there would always be a "Mark" left in this world. A Mark that would change lives and impact people everyday. He did just that up to his very last three breaths. Our dad served for twenty years in the United States Air Force. He traveled the world (must be where I got that from) serving his country to the best of his ability. He always gave 150%. Being on time was always late to him, so we always were at least thirty minutes early to everything. He was more than just a hero. He was a dad, a husband, a coach, a fighter, a survivor, a warrior, a pastor, a shepherd, and a life-time encourager. At the beginning of this year, he was diagnosed with terminal aggressive Stage IV Prostate Cancer that spread to lymph nodes and tissue outside of his prostate. He was placed on hospice in May for pain management. Though this journey with cancer has been trying and difficult and a journey of challenge and perseverance, he has always reminded us to BRING STRONG FAITH and to keep on keeping on. To the end, he prayed with every person that entered our home from the nurses to the doctors to the church members to the extended family. His ministry and legacy with people kept strong. Those last few days, we would sit by his bed with a cup of coffee in hand reading the scriptures that people from all over the country sent to him as encouragement. We would wrap up the time of reading with his favorite Tony Dungy devotional (he read devotions with us every single morning growing up). And when he took his last three breaths, the Lord took him in the most peaceful way. As a nurse, I have seen many people pass away, but his was different. He looked younger, more peaceful, and right up to the end... he left smiling at us. His legacy holds true.

His legacy held true to his family, his church, and his wife. Our dad loved our mom. He loved her in a way that no earthly words could describe. He loved her more than a million mochas, m&ms, and crispy edge pancakes. He loved to travel with her, love Jesus together, coach others, pray together, mentor together, worship, watch our games and events, and be our parents together. He not only loved, but he loved well and deeply. There was never a moment in our lives that we doubted his LOVE for our family. Our dad chose our mom. And he chose to love each of us and pray for each of us every single day that we can remember.

His life was truly one of testimony of the power of prayer and of daily surrender to His Lord. Our dad endured great heartache and pain. Growing up in a home with alcoholism was difficult and as a young adult he was following that pattern. He attended church when he was young but as a teen he decided that he was going to do things his way. While serving in the military he gave way to living a life of bondage to alcoholism and drug use. After twenty years of honorable service to his country, my dad retired from the military. He later came to realize that the Lord's Way was best and in September of 1994, he surrendered his life to his Healer, Comforter, Provider... .His Savior and Lord. Proverbs 3:5-6 was a verse that my dad lived by... "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, do not lean on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." It was in 1996 that our dad and mom felt a call to full-time ministry in The Wesleyan Church. This year our parents celebrate 20 years of pastoral ministry as well as 30 years of marriage. He was passionate about preaching and teaching the Word of God along with disciplining individuals to live out a fully devoted life to Jesus Christ in obedience to His Word.

The Lord used his life and testimony to impact people with the Gospel in a way that they could understand so in turn they would make a decision to follow Jesus with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength... loving their neighbor as themselves.

He held true to his motto… BRING STRONG FAITH

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in the year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” -Jeremiah 17:7-8, 14

One of the last things he sent me before he passed went like this...

"Good morning Maloree. I love you. I'm just sitting here in my spot, drinking my coffee and praying about this coming Father's Day service. I'd love to preach for Jesus."

He did just that. His life was all for Jesus and his family. He always ended our time with the prayer, love, and the HamFam symbol.

BSF… Bring Strong Faith

He is survived by his loving wife, Marcelle; children, Ben (Marlaena) Hamel; Maloree Hamel, Colby (Delaney) Hamel, and Bron Hamel; grandchildren, Zoey Isabella, Aubrie June, Raven, Bronson, and Journee; siblings, Mick Hamel, Penny Stephens, and Donna Perkins; and cousin, Terry Christlieb.

Visitation

Time: 4:00pm - 6:00pm, Sunday, July 16, 2017 Place: First Wesleyan Church
1700 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67211

Funeral Service

Time: 10:00am, Monday, July 17, 2017 Place: First Wesleyan Church
1700 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67211

Burial

Place: Kansas Veterans' Cemetery
1208 N. College, Winfield, KS 67156

Memorials

First Wesleyan Church
1700 S. Market St.
Wichita, KS 67211

Or contributions may be made via:
https://www.gofundme.com/prayn4mark

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