Daniel Noah Hamrick

Daniel Noah Hamrick

KANNAPOLIS - Daniel Noah Hamrick, of Kannapolis, died Monday, July 7, 2008.

Dan Hamrick was a committed Christian, a loving and faithful husband, an instructive, guiding and fun-loving daddy, a nurturing grandfather, a caring brother, a stimulating teacher, a demanding but fair football, baseball and basketball coach, a supportive and understanding school principal and mentor, an outdoorsman and a loyal friend who always encouraged us to join him in having fun.

He was the youngest boy in a farm family of 11 children. Dan learned to work hard and to also have fun while growing up on the farm in the Depression years.

Dan was born in Ellenboro on March 10, 1920, to Elijah and Effie Goforth Hamrick. He graduated from Ellenboro High in 1937, Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1941 and he subsequently earned his Master Degree in Education from Appalachian State University in 1952. While at Lenoir-Rhyne, he starred in baseball and basketball and also played varsity football.

He began his teaching and coaching career at Granite Quarry in 1941 but soon after joined the U.S. Army in March 1942. He was a member of the XII Corps of Patton's Third Army and was a member of the Signal Corps team that helped to break the Axis code.

Following his discharge from the Army in 1945, he married Sara Josephine Wellman on Nov. 24, 1945. He played one year of professional baseball for the Rutherford County Owls in 1946. He also resumed his coaching and teaching career with very successful tenures at Tri High in Rutherford County, Landis High School and A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis.

In his coaching years that first began prior to World War II and then continued until 1959, Dan Hamrick's boys and girls teams won 37 championships. Members of Hamrick's teams went on to excel at the collegiate and professional ranks and a number of his former players attributed their subsequent success to their strong grounding in the core fundamentals of the game and the drive for success that Hamrick inspired. Hamrick's influence transcended beyond the classroom, playing fields and basketball courts to help shape and mentor young lives to become stronger adults in various walks of life.

Dan Hamrick relinquished his coaching whistle in 1959 to become principal of J.W. Cannon Junior High School, where he continued to shape young lives until his retirement in 1982. Hamrick transferred his coaching success to his administrative role, where he was known for his passion for planning, administrative excellence, strong but fair discipline and continued mentorship for a long line of students and teachers. Following his retirement from the Kannapolis school system in the early 1980s, Hamrick remained a consistent supporter of the A.L Brown athletic programs.

Dan Hamrick was a leader in the Cabarrus Beagle Club for many years. He achieved success with numerous Field Champions, and he was proud to raise and train the 1991 National Dog of the Year. But, more importantly, through his activities with the Beagle Club, Dan developed many deeply rooted friendships that now continue to sustain his family.

He was a longtime active member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Kannapolis and contributed in many roles, which included Sunday School teacher for Junior High boys, leadership on the Administrative Board and membership in the W.J. Bullock Bible class.

Dan Hamrick married the love of his life, Sara Wellman, and together they were the proud parents of Nancy Jo, Kay and Danny.

Mr. Hamrick is survived by his wife, Sara Hamrick; his daughter Nancy Hamrick Sinclair and husband Roy Sinclair of Huntersville; his daughter Kay Hamrick of Chapel Hill; his son, Dr. Dan Hamrick and wife Melissa R. Hamrick of China Grove. His granddaughter Mckenzie Hamrick lives in Arlington, Va. Mr. Hamrick's surviving sisters are Mary Evelyn Mauney of Ellenboro and Bonnie Hauser of Fayetteville.

Service: A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 9 at Trinity United Methodist Church in Kannapolis. Burial will be private at Carolina Memorial Park.

Visitation: The family will receive friends in the Fellowship Hall of the church following the service.

Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com who is serving the family of Mr. Hamrick.

The family wishes to thank the many caregivers and friends who have provided strong emotional and nurturing support through Mr. Hamrick's days of declining health. The family will always be grateful for the unique and personal care provided by Dr. John Tuttle and his staff.