Mary Alice Hamner's Obituary
Mrs. Mary Alice Adams Hamner, age 98, of ACTS Mease Life in Dunedin, FL, died Thursday, March 20, 2025. Born in Royston, Hart County, Georgia, she was the youngest of nine children of the late Wesley and Stella Pulliam Adams of Royston. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, William T. Hamner, PhD, a retired clinical psychologist. She was also preceded in death by 4 sisters: Decora Adams, Jewell Adams, Austelle Adams Nichols, and Frances Adams Floyd, and 3 brothers: John B Adams, W. Frazier Adams, Sr and Charles P Adams, MD. She is survived by her daughter, Beverly Hamner Burton (John) of Clearwater, FL and by her grandchildren: Blaire Amanda Foubister, DPT (Jamie), Bend OR, Brandt William Burton (Lauren), Palm Harbor, FL, Lance Ryan Burton (Nicole), US Air Force, Valdosta, GA, and her great-grandchildren: Amelia Rose Foubister and Declan William Foubister. She is survived by her chosen son, Ruben Rosales (Valerie) of Cambridge, MA and by her grandchildren David Rosales (Eli) and Melissa Rosales Neff (Luke) and five greatgrandchildren. She also is survived by nephews and nieces including Wesley F Adams Jr, MD (Jo), Diane Adams Barnette (Phil), Charles Adams Jr, MD (Susan), Cheryl Adams Kanes (Panos), Art Adams, MD (Jenny), Susan Utley, John Utley and their families.
Mrs. Hamner graduated as valedictorian from Royston High School in 1943 and four years later with honors from LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA. She served as class president for three years and as president of the student government her senior year. She was chosen Miss LaGrange College of 1947 by vote of the student body as “representing the spirit of LC including love, loyalty, service, and sacrifice”. She remained active in alumni groups from both high school and college. She attended the laboratory medical technology program at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, GA, becoming a certified clinical medical technologist. Work experiences included positions in LaGrange, where she met her husband, Atlanta, Macon, GA, and Nashville, TN. For twenty years she served as the director of the clinical laboratory education program at St Thomas Hospital in Nashville, TN. The program was affiliated with five universities in the degree program. She was a caring, professional person and enjoyed teaching the medical technology students while promoting love and compassion for the patients they served. One of her students, Ruben Rosales, became part of her family as a loving son. She was active and held leadership roles in clinical professional societies on local, state and national levels. For many years she served on the Laboratory Licensure Board of the State of Tennessee. She was a member of the Brentwood United Methodist Church in Nashville, and after moving to Georgia, the Norcross First United Methodist Church. There she worked with her husband in a program that he developed for Alzheimer’s patients and a music program for nursing home and assisted living residents. Mrs. Hamner loved her family, was a dedicated caregiver for older family members and helped organize annual family reunions at the Adams Homeplace during her retirement years. She was very creative and artistic, and enjoyed sewing and painting. She and her husband moved to Dunedin, FL in 2015 to be close to family.
A service and interment will be held on Saturday March 29, 2025 at 2pm at Rose Hill Cemetery, Royston, GA.
Charity donations are requested in lieu of flowers.
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