Robert H. Hamel, 78, of Fairhaven, died Monday February 25, 2008 at St. Luke's Hospital after a brief illness. He was the husband of Jacquelyn A. (Arruda) Hamel.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Amedee and Aura (Masse) Hamel, he lived in Acushnet for 30 years and in Fairhaven for the past 12 years.
He was a communicant of St. Mary's Church.
Mr. Hamel was formerly employed by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company for 33 years until his retirement.
During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army. He was a member of the Goodyear Seniors and St. Mary's Golden Agers.
His greatest joy was being with his family at cookouts, especially Fourth of July parties. He loved watching the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox, and loved building model antique autos.
Survivors include his wife; five children, Wayne Hamel and his wife Susan of Acushnet, Steven Hamel of Dartmouth, Nancy Harrington and her husband Seamus of Acushnet, Randall Hamel and his wife Susan of Longwood, FL, and Kenneth Hamel of Miami, FL; three sisters, Theresa Daigneault of Inverness, FL, and Lillian Desjardins and Doris Hargraves, both of Wildwood, FL; six grandchildren, Jennifer Hassey and her husband Mark, Timothy, Matthew, and Nicholas Hamel, Michael and Thomas Harrington; two great-grandchildren, Aiden and Cody Hassey; his dear friends, Norman and Dolores Fiano, and John and Ilene Rego; and many nieces and nephews.
He was the brother of the late Ida Dufresne, Irene Girard, Noella Guay, Jeanne Hamel, Rudolph Hamel, Raymond Hamel and Rene Hamel.
His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday at 10 AM at St. Mary's Church, Fairhaven. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Thursday from 5-9 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children, 12502 Pine Drive, Tampa, FL 33612. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.