Steven Dale Hammack started singing in Heaven on the 31st of August, 2022, just after he correctly and confidently spoke the password to walk the streets of gold, Steve’s favorite saying, “Roll, Tide, Roll!”
Steve was born in Russellville on October 23, 1952, and was preceded in death by his son, Jason Hammack; his father, Harrol Hammack; brother-in-law, Joe Manley; nephews, Joey and Cale Manley; and niece, Tracye Manley.
He leaves to cherish his memory his wife Marcia who for 49 years somehow managed not to kill him; his daughter, Laura (Slaven) Bozovic who is the only one who could tell him what to do; his granddaughter, Mila who adored her Papa; and his mother, Sue Hammack whose spankings had no effect. He also leaves behind sisters, Pam (Jimmy) Fretwell and Susan (Cam) DeArman; brother-in-law, Jimmy (Bonnie) Manley; nephews, Mitch (Brandi) Moore and Cameron DeArman; niece, Ashlyn DeArman; great-nieces, Hollie, Melody, Jenni, Karlie and Kara; and great-nephew, Jon, as well as several special aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Dr. Steve was also survived by the loyal employees who worked side by side with him and became family themselves: Shannon, Wynoka, Kelly, Brenda, Megan, Cassidy, Melissa, and McKalan.
A native of Russellville, Alabama, Steve graduated in 1971 from Russellville High School where his glory days were spent playing football for the Golden Tigers. He attended the University of Alabama where he did so well he was accepted early into the University of Alabama Birmingham’s School of Dentistry.
Steve was an avid supporter of the Alabama Crimson Tide and could always inform and entertain anyone who would listen about his favorite team. He was especially proud of the time he and Joe Namath washed their clothes together at the laundromat in Tuscaloosa. There was even a newspaper article to let you know all about it in case he had not already told you the story at least five times. He was a great teller of tales, and he never let the facts get in the way of a good story.
Family never had to wonder when opening day of hunting season was because he counted it down for a solid month ahead of time. He enjoyed all types of hunting, but once he tried turkey hunting with a bow, he fell in love because he considered it a real challenge. Steve loved to tell stories about his hunting adventures, and according to the king of tall tales, in 1985 he killed the second largest elk that had ever been killed in the state of Wyoming. Some even believe he built his log cabin with the elk head inside to make it possible to hang it over the fireplace. He would show off his elk to anybody visiting and loved Christmas, when he would adorn the beast with a gold ball and a festive red ribbon. In December of 2019, he accomplished his lifelong goal of catching a sailfish in the Gulf of Mexico.
Steve loved Marcia’s cooking, claiming that she could make a rhinoceros taste good. He would brag to patients and his staff about her menu for each night’s dinner, never leaving home without knowing what delicious food would be waiting.
Steve loved his daughter Laura even more than he loved Marcia’s cooking and threatened only once to take her out of the will, when she decided to get her undergraduate degree at Alabama’s rival university (which shall not be named in this obituary lest he haunt us forever). It was a great joy to him when she obtained her doctorate degree from the University of Alabama and began teaching there, but his greatest blessing and source of most joy was granddaughter Mila, who had her Papa tied around her little finger (and his hair often tied with clips and ribbons).
He enjoyed besting friends and family with his “superior” knowledge while watching his favorite game show, Jeopardy. Watch out if the categories included Biology because, according to Steve, he was “gonna know all of them.” Steve’s favorite Jeopardy episodes were the reruns (He knew all of those answers, too.), and we suspect if he could have a rerun of life, he would love to do it all again.
The family sincerely appreciates all your prayers, calls, texts, food, and funny stories and looks forward to the opportunity to hear more of those funny stories on Sunday, September 11, 2022. Visitation will begin at 2:00 at Calvary Baptist Church, with the service following at 3:00. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or the charity of your choice.
Pinkard Funeral Home of Russellville assisted the family.
