DR. ROBERT HENRY HACKMAN

DR. ROBERT HENRY HACKMAN, MD, 80

DAVENPORT - Dr. Robert Henry Hackman, MD, Beloved husband, cherished father, and adored grandpa slipped away peacefully at his home in Davenport, Florida during the evening while resting in the Presence of his wonderful Savior on Thursday, April 4th after a merciful season of pancreatic cancer and heart failure.
He survived by his wife Jean Hackman, daughter Scarlett West, son in law Kevin West, granddaughter Marjorie Anne West, sister Beverly Morris, niece Becky Crawford and nephew Bill Eyster and many friends.
"Bobby" as he was known in his younger days was born on July 3rd, 1932 in Lynnville, Tennessee at home to Henry and Louise Hackman. He attended Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville with his best friend George Knox for High School. Bobby and George loved to get into mischief and particularly enjoyed sabotaging the romances of Bobby's darling younger sister Beverly. Bobby graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelors of Science Degree. From there he spent several years in the military as a lieutenant in the army stationed in France. Upon returning to the states he taught Algebra, geometry and trigonometry at The Webb School while waiting to get into Medical School at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. It was while teaching at Webb in Bell Buckle, Tennessee that he met the girl that would sweep him off his feet for 51 years, the beautiful and sassy Marjorie Wheeler. They had one daughter Scarlett West who was born on his birthday. Now known to all as Bob or "Dr. Bob" he began his practice first in Smyrna, Tennessee and then relocated to Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He loved practicing family and industrial medicine and he loved his patients. Delivering babies was a special joy to him. He also was the university physician at Middle Tennessee State University for 30 plus years. He became board certified in Family Practice in 1978 as a Diplomat. But at the age of 41 he recognized that although he had accomplished all his goals in life something essential and critical was missing. Unknown to him, many were praying and he was being drawn and wooed by His loving Savior. "Dr. Bob" was born again and was never the same after that. His Savior was his passion and if he spent anytime at all with you he made it his business to invite you to begin a forever relationship with Jesus. "Dr. Bob" fellowshipped and was discipled by many a precious saint in Murfreesboro and by dear missionaries he loved around the world. World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tn., became his home church.
Dr. Bob also loved fishing, golf and fancied himself a gardener growing vegetables in his front yard on Adams Circle. He loved his neighbors who graciously tolerated these front yard gardens of okra and tomatoes.
Upon retirement in 1997 he and Margie became snowbirds to spend winters with Scarlett, Kevin and Marjorie Anne in Florida. Moving to Grenelefe they made many friends in Haines City and enjoyed fellowshipping with the saints in several fellowships settling in at First Presbyterian of Haines City as their place of worship. During his retirement years Dr. Bob and Margie became even more active in missions and began going on numerous medical missions around the globe while encouraging others to come along. The Amazon jungle was one of his favorites. During this time he took Margie and lived in Lima, Peru for two months where he was the oldest student in a Tropical Disease Fellowship with physicians from around the world. He did this because he wanted to be able to understand how to treat the diseases he was seeing in the jungle.
His beloved Margie eloped into the arms of her Lord in September of 2009. With the loss of Margie he longed for heaven as well while he was being treated for bladder cancer. Just as soon as his treatment concluded and he was feeling better he would receive a message on his answering machine that would fascinate him and change his life again in a wonderful and blessed way. The voice on the message was that of Jean Stillman, a beautiful widow inviting him to lunch for "Just Me". Hard of hearing he confused the message as an invitation for a blind date instead of to a singles luncheon with the church group named "Just Me". Slapping on some "Old Spice" he arrived at the luncheon and saw for the first time the darling who had left the message. He wasted no time romancing her and on March 26 of this year they celebrated two years of marriage.
He thoroughly enjoyed the last two years on this earth. Bob was continually making new friends and sharing his very best friend, Jesus. He was a man who loved Bible study and prayer, praying daily for the salvation of many he was concerned about. One of his favorite scriptures was from Mark 8:36(KJV)
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
There will be two memorials to honor his life and legacy. The first memorial will be Saturday April 13th at noon at the First Presbyterian Church of Haines City, Florida and another June 8th at World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Visitation with the family will be before and after the memorial services.
Dr. Bob requested that memorials be made in lieu of flowers to the mission's funds of either the First Presbyterian Church of Haines City, Florida or of World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Donations may also be made to Horton Haven Christian Camp, Chapel Hill, Tennessee and the Gideon's International.
Honorary pall bearers: Kevin West, George Knox, Alvin Morris, Duane Nayrocker, Joe Collier, Jonny Strong, George Schmidt, Don Young, George Jackson, Mike Dempsey, Steve Johnson, Hank Hughes, Frank Faulisi and Don Vachon.
Dr. Bob's last request is that you make sure your name is written in the Lamb's book of life!