Gregory (Greg) Lynn Hamel

Gregory (Greg) Lynn Hamel was born January 6, 1956, in Concordia, Kansas, the son of W.J. (Joe) and Gloria Ann (Hebert) Hamel, and died on February 1, 2025, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Greg attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School in Concordia through 6^th grade and then attended Concordia public schools, graduating in 1974. Greg earned his medical degree from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1982 and completed his Family Practice Residency at the University of Missouri Kansas City in 1985. 

Greg married Julie Chubbuck on June 21, 1980, in Concordia, KS. She survives of the home.

After completing his residency in 1985, Dr. Hamel became part of Abilene Family Physicians and Julie and Greg moved to Chapman, KS to make their home. Hamel served the Chapman and Abilene communities in Dickinson County until 1993, at which time he opened a private practice in Junction City, where he worked until 1999. Between 1999-2002, Dr. Hamel worked part-time for Docs Who Care, doing Locum Tenens work at rural hospitals in Kansas. He served as an Emergency Physician at Mercy Regional Hospital in Manhattan from 2002-2014. Greg and Julie moved to Lawrence, KS in 2012 and in 2014, Dr. Hamel started working as a Senior Staff Physician at Watkins Health Services, University of Kansas, from which he retired in 2020.

Greg loved spending time with his family. Early in childhood he enjoyed adventures with his brothers – setting bank lines along the Republican River, building forts, fishing, hunting and spending time outdoors, especially at his grandparents’ farm near St. Joe, Kansas. Camping and canoeing were also favorite pastimes, and the family spent many vacations camping in Colorado. He also loved attending events to watch his daughters participate in music and sports. In 2009, Greg discovered the joy of hiking “fourteeners” in Colorado, and it became an annual tradition to camp and hike in the mountains with brothers-in-law and others. In 2018, he hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim, something he was very proud of. He had a love for all animals and especially enjoyed bird watching. In recent years, many trips were taken to Baker Wetlands and along the Kansas River to watch for bald eagles.

Greg also enjoyed sporting events – supporting Chapman teams, watching Royals games during medical school years, Jayhawk basketball and football, and the Chiefs. He enjoyed woodworking and making craft projects for family, and he took on many home improvement projects after retirement. Greg was a great cook and loved surprising friends and family with home-cooked meals, cookies, and peanut brittle. He had an appreciation for all types of art, and a favorite place to visit was the Nelson Atkins Museum in Kansas City. Music was also very important; he played guitar and sang, and most recently, was a member of the Baroque Recorders Group in Lawrence. He was very proud that he learned to read music later in life.

Other survivors include his daughters, Elizabeth Hamel, Lawrence and Joanna (Jake) Thomas, Overland Park; grandson, Louie Thomas; brother, Bob (Brenda) Hamel; sister, Janice (John) Strait; sister-in-law, Linda Chubbuck (Stan Slaughter); brother-in-law, Paul Chubbuck; beloved nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Jim Hamel and Larry Hamel, and sister-in-law Lynnette Hamel.

Memorial contributions may be made in Greg’s name to Lawrence Senior Resource Center for the “Baroque Recorders Group”, Baker Wetlands Discovery Center or to the Nelsons-Atkins Museum of Art and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13^th St. Lawrence, KS  66044.

A celebration of life gathering for Greg will be held at a later date; details will be posted here. 

Online condolences may be left at warrenmcelwain.com.