Mrs. Nola Faye Hammons, 85, of Heidrick, passed away Saturday morning, October 5, 2024 at her home. She was the daughter of the late J. D. and Nannie Abner Blevins born on April 26, 1939 in Knox County.
Faye was a former cook with Knox Central High School and a faithful member of the Heidrick Holiness Church. Faye was a woman who touched the lives of everyone around her. She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a friend and a servant of Christ. Perhaps, one of the most remarkable ways she expressed her love was through cooking. In her kitchen, food wasn’t just sustenance; it was an act of love, a way to nourish both body and soul. As a devout Christian, Faye knew the importance of serving others and her kitchen was her ministry. Just like Jesus shared meals with His disciples and fed the multitudes, she opened her home and her heart through her cooking. She embodied Matthew 25:35 where Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, and I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” She had a gift – a true calling – to make others feel cared for and she did that so often with a meal. Her cooking was not just about the food on the table, but about the love she poured into every dish. It was her way of showing God’s love to those around her. Many of us have been blessed by her meals. Perhaps you remember a holiday feast, maybe it was a simple dinner and maybe it was her dumplings that filled not only our stomachs but also our hearts. Her kitchen was always a place of laughter, storytelling and prayer. The aromas that filled her home were like the aromas of grace, love and generosity. And whether she was cooking for her family or a neighbor in need, she treated every meal as an opportunity to serve. Faye leaves behind a legacy far great than just recipes; she leaves a legacy of love, service and faith. Let us be inspired by her life and her love for both God and people. Let us cherish the moments we shared with her, knowing that her legacy will live on in the meals we prepare, in the kindness we show and in the faith we carry forward.
On May 11, 1960, she united in marriage with Don Hammons, who preceded her in death last year.
Other family members to precede her in death include her parents-in-law, Matt and Jean Hammons; brothers, Ray, Ricky and Burchel Blevins; brothers-in-law, S. J. Hammons, Homer Hammons, Frank Merida, Johnny Root, Junior Owens, Stan Borowski and Larry Dunning; sisters-in-law, Florence Owens, Vivian Borowski, Ailene Stocks, Jane Dunning, Margaret Ann Callebs, Mary Hammons and Janet Hammons and life-long friends, Gooder and Joyce McWilliams.
Survivors include her dearly loved children, Rev. Duke Hammons and wife, Delora, and Sheila Terrell and husband, Tim, all of Heidrick; sisters, Claudia Sue Merida and Brenda Root both of Heidrick and Jennifer Cobb and husband, Robert, of Barbourville; brothers, Don Blevins and wife, Kay, of Bimble, Ersel Wayne Blevins and wife, Ruth, of Artemus, Gary Blevins and wife, Kathy, and Sydney Blevins and wife, Loretta, all of Barbourville; cherished grandchildren, Tiffany Loveless and husband, Stephen, Tabitha Frederick and husband, Shawn, Jonathan Hammons and Dylan Messer; great grandchildren, Timberly, Braylen and Brylee Frederick, Aubrey and Gunner Jones and Anthony Loveless; sisters-in-law, Rita Blevins, Novella Epperson, Gerry Brewer and husband, Larry, and Evelyn Hammons; brothers-in-law, Dave Hammons and Troy Callebs; a host of nieces and nephews; special friend and caregiver, Mary Ellen Terrell; special co-workers, Beth Callihan and all the cooks she worked with at Knox Central High School; among other loved ones and dear friends.
Her funeral service will be conducted in the chapel of the Knox Funeral Home Thursday, October 10 at 4 P.M. with Rev. Herbie Hoskins, Rev. Tommy Frazier and Joe Irvin officiating. She will be laid to rest in the Doolin Cemetery.
Casket bearers will be her nephews.
Friends may visit at the funeral home Thursday after 12 noon until the funeral hour.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Knox Funeral Home.
Send a condolence to the family of NOLA FAYE HAMMONS.
For questions about our obituaries or condolence service, please contact us. You may reach us via e-mail at knoxfuneralhome@barbourville.com. Reach us via phone by calling 606-546-2222.
