James Alvin Hamblin

James Alvin Hamblin, known to everyone as Al, died January 7, 2020, at home in Spring Texas with his daughter Kristi by his side. He was 88.

Al was born April 25, 1932, on a windswept farm on the plains of Kansas near Jetmore during the Dirty Thirties. He lived there with his father, mother and 4 siblings until they lost the farm and moved to Hugoton, Kansas. There he attended elementary school, junior high and high school before leaving secondary education behind and going to work. At fourteen, he got a job on a dump truck shoveling whatever needed to be shoveled. He toiled at hard labor until he was 19 when he realized that the draft would be coming for him soon. Therefore, he decided to choose his own way and follow in the footsteps of his two older brothers, by enlisting with the U.S. Navy. He was deployed to the South Pacific to fight in the Korean War where he spent the next four years.

He enjoyed his time at sea making numerous friends and generating stories that he could share for decades with friends and family. While spending time in Japan he developed a love for the martial arts. He walked into a Judo dojo one day and was accepted by the all-Japanese gym to learn the art of The Gentle Way. After serving his four years in the Navy, he had seen enough and was ready to go back home to Hugoton, Kansas and live as a civilian.

After moving home, he met a waitress that worked at his mother’s café. Her name was Dovie Clemetta Hardy, after two dates they decided to get married and were joined together in marriage on January 5, 1956, in Clayton, New Mexico. They relocated from Hugoton to Amarillo for a few years and then they moved to Liberal, Kansas, where his first child Randy was born. It was there that Al began to work in a budding young industry called Cable TV. He began with a cable construction company in Liberal, Kansas, and then moved to California where his second child, Kristi was born in Santa Paula. From there they moved back to Kansas where his son Mike and daughter Kelly were born in Great Bend. He eventually had the opportunity to purchase the cable system in Laverne and in 1976 moved his family to his wife’s hometown, Laverne, Oklahoma.

Laverne is what he called home. It is where he raised his children to adulthood and owned a house for 45 years. He loved watching sports, especially if his children or grandchildren were participating. Al was an avid OU fan and attended many OU football games. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was known as a kind, gentle soul and always had a smile. Even in the toughest times, he would manage to smile and be positive. He chose to see the glass as half full and whole-heartedly felt that God was always in control. He believed in second chances and felt that forgiveness was the greatest gift you could give someone. Al would tell you his greatest accomplishment was being a dad and to his children he will always be their hero. He will be deeply missed.

On September 5, 1999, he was preceded in death by his wife of 43 years, his son Jon Michael on April 21, 1995, and grandson Bryce Shaffer on November 30, 2000. Al was also preceded in death by his parents Oma and James Hamblin, sister Evelyn Hoff, 3 brothers - Leland Hamblin, Russell Hamblin, and Everett Hamblin.

Al leaves as his survivors; one son Randy and wife Leasa of Moore, OK; daughters Kristi of Spring, TX., Kelly and husband Chuck Crooks of Cushing, OK, grandsons Keaton and Camden Crooks, 3 sister-in-laws Wanita Ketron of Laverne, Opal Hardy of Amarillo, TX., Margie Hamblin of Pratt Kansas, Brother-in-law Darrell Hardy and wife Winona of Alamo, TX., nieces, nephews, other relatives, and many friends.