Mabel Lene Hamman, 99, passed away April 10, 2009, at the Sterling House of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana.   Mrs. Hamman was born in Sharp, Texas, on January 12, 1910. There was no memorial service.

She was a graduate of Baylor University and completed a Master's Degree in Spanish at the University of Texas. Mrs. Hamman had a lifelong career in education with teaching positions in Rockdale and Iraan, Texas. She taught in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. for more than 20 years in various schools and positions before retiring. During her teaching career in Evansville, she served as the Director of the Educational Public Television that provided high school classes for public schools in Southwestern Indiana, Southeastern Illinois, and Western Kentucky.

Mrs. Hamman also taught the on-air Spanish course and was known for years by thousands of students as Senorita Hamman.

Following her teaching career, Mrs. Hamman became a licensed real estate agent working for Culley Real Estate Co. in Evansville. She was an instructor at the University of Evansville in the "English as a Second Language" Program until 1998. Hundreds of students of all ages in the Evansville area enjoyed Mrs. Hamman as a private tutor in Spanish as well as English. During the 1970s and 1980s, she provided special tutoring for a number of Vietnamese families and children in their transition to the Evansville community.

Mrs. Hamman was an active member of the Methodist Temple in Evansville as was her husband, Cecil Hamman, who preceded her in death on May 3, 1987. Both Cecil and Mabel Lene supported students at the University of Evansville and Purdue University, Mr. Hamman's alma mater.

Mrs. Hamman is survived by nieces, Barbara Lynn Baldridge of San Antonio, Texas, Judith Hamman of Fort Collins, Colo., and Sharon Ansbaugh of Scottsdale, Ariz., and her nephew, Denny Hamman of Carmel, Ind. She was close to cousins, Alice Gibson and Walter Braly of Houston, Texas.

Published in Evansville Courier & Press (IN) - Tuesday, April 14, 2009