William Robert "Bob" Hamlin

May 7, 1940 - February 15, 2022

WILLIAM ROBERT HAMLIN, 81, of Huntington, WV, passed away on February 15, 2022. Bob was born May 7, 1940, in Williamson, WV, the son of Eugene Hamlin and Anna Grace Hamlin. He was preceded in death by his father and stepmother Freda Hamlin of Huntington; and by his mother, and stepfather Anna Grace and Garner White of Pikeville, KY; and by a very special uncle William F. Blackburn, Jr., of Forest Hills, KY and Longboat Key, FL. He was devoted to family and a loving husband, father, grandfather and uncle. He is survived by his wife of fifty eighty (58) years, Palmaneda Butler Hamlin; a wonderful son and daughter-in-law, Michael and Jennifer Hamlin, of Johnson City, TN, three beautiful and special grandchildren, Kathryn Blair Hamlin, William Butler Hamlin, and Henry James Hamlin of Johnson City, and a special sister-in-law, Manokel B. Hinshaw, of Huntington, WV and brother-in-law, H. Verlin Butler, Jr., Glenwood, WV and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. A retired Huntington attorney, Bob was a graduate of Marshall University (1963), and the University of Kentucky, College of Law (1966). Following graduation from Belfry (KY) High School, he attended and played football and basketball at Greenbrier Military School, in Lewisburg, WV, as a post-graduate student. He attended Marshall on a grant-in-aid football scholarship and earned three varsity letters in football. Bob holds a Marshall record that will never be broken, as he was the first Marshall quarterback to pass for more than 1,000 yards in a single season and held most of the Marshall single season passing records at his graduation. He finished the 1962 season ranked in the top ten of the NCAA Division 1 passing statistics, receiving Honorable mention All-American recognition, and was invited to the North-South game for seniors in Mobile, AL. After graduation from law school, Bob practiced law for most of his career in Huntington. He was also Corporate Counsel and Secretary of CILCO, Inc., a medical device company formerly in Huntington, and served as Director of the Marshall University Alumni Association; a member and former Director of the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, Inc.; former member of the Marshall Foundation, Inc.; a member of Lewis Memorial Baptist Church; member and Director of the Marshall "M" Board; member of the Belfry (KY) High School Athletic Hall of Fame; and the Huntington YMCA. He was passionate about youth sports, and coached with the Cammack and Beverly Hills Youth Football Leagues and acted as longtime advisor to the Executive Board of the Tri-State Youth Football League (TSYFL), Inc., where he served as Secretary-Treasurer for a number of years. He was grateful to Marshall University for the opportunity to attend college, and worked diligently to facilitate Marshall's membership in the Southern Conference after the 1970 plane crash. He will be dearly missed. Graveside services will be held 2:00 pm Monday, February 21, 2022, at Spring Hill Cemetery, Huntington, with Rev. Stan Smith officiating. Visitation will be from 1:30 to 2:00 pm Monday at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in his memory to the Big Green Scholarship Foundation, Inc., the Marshall Foundation Inc., or a charity of one's choice. Chapman's Mortuary, Huntington, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.chapmans-mortuary.com