Marjorie “Midge” A. Hamaker

Marjorie A. (Miller) Hamaker was born in Marshall, Michigan on October 15, 1940.  Midge, as she was affectionately known by family and friends, was raised in Marshall along with her sister Nancy by Dale and Eunice (Wheaton) Miller. She fondly remembered a fun-filled childhood of tobogganing, ice skating, camping and baton twirling. Her love of baton twirling advanced to a high school career as head majorette (3 yrs.) and home coming queen her senior year. She met her life-long love Ron Hamaker while at Marshall High School and after marrying in 1962, they shared many memories of Marshall prior to their nomadic life for Ron’s education and army service.

After high school, Midge attended Wrights Beauty Academy in Battle Creek, Michigan and was later an instructor there prior to teaching at Sybil’s Beauty School in Detroit. Midge took a hiatus from teaching to raise three children and create a loving home. As the children grew she became involved in local runway, tea room and some advertising modeling.  She also taught modeling and finishing school at Tiffany’s Modeling Agency in Carmel and assisted at Carmen Delgado’s Esthetics Studio. Later she helped out her husband and children with their endeavors as a medical receptionist and an all-around cheerleader as well as nanny until daycare was attained. She also enjoyed planning and hosting many parties, events and gatherings hosted by Midge and Ron.

Midge was a devoted wife and mother, making her family and home not only the center of her family’s life, but that of numerous short and long term guests from not just around the USA but the world as well. She frequently hosted visiting professors as well as her husband’s patients from Turkey, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, England, Hungary, Spain, and Brazil. This allowed Midge and Ron to travel numerous places and reconnect with their new and old friends around the world.

Midge was active in her service sorority, Kappa Kappa Sigma (elephant ears and chili supper her specialties), aided Pike’s Band and Swing Choirs,  and was a beloved active grandmother always willing to babysit, shuttle to lessons, teach cooking, and be a temporary roommate or a travel buddy.

In recent years she enjoyed watching the birds and being a busy grandmother cheering from her wheelchair and as a friend to many of her children’s and grandchildren’s friends as well. Midge was always ready to lend a supporting shoulder or ear. She was preceded in death by her parents Dale and Eunice Miller and her loving husband Ronald Hamaker, MD.

She leaves behind her children, Ronda Hamaker Williams (Bruce), Andrew Hamaker, Brenda Hamaker Jalaie (Bob), her grandchildren Alec Hamaker (Monica), Alicia Brown (Adam), Claire Williams, Rebecca Williams, Peter Jalaie, Christopher Jalaie and two great grandchildren as well as her sister Nancy Nantz and numerous nieces and nephews.

There will be a visitation on Friday, April 26, 4:30 pm until time of service at 6:00 pm at Simplicity Funeral and Cremation Care of Zionsville. Other funeral arrangements have been handled by Kempf Family Funeral and Cremation Services of Marshall, MI.

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