Kay Hampton

Kay Hampton (Nan), born on June 15, 1942, left this earth for her heavenly home May 17, 2024.

 She was born to Willie Mae & Claude Earnest Rocky Jr. Manry in Pampa, Texas, one of 11 children. Upon graduation she moved to Hobbs, NM and began her working life. She was introduced to Melivn Hampton by a friend and the relationship blossomed. She knew he had picked her for good when he offered to let her drive his Ford convertible back and forth to work so she didn’t have to walk. It took a little convincing but eventually she agreed. They would later marry on July 10, 1962, and have four children, Kevin, Kelli, Scooter, and Kristina. The family moved to Odessa, Texas and she earned a manager role at Kentucky Fried Chicken. She would come to learn the names and faces of the kids who would choose her restaurant for lunch and ensure it was ready when they arrived. Her personal nature is something she would carry on through the rest of her life, both personally and professionally; continuing her path of leadership as the Branch Manager at Odessa Saving and eventually ending her working career at 75 years old with Dr. Ronald J. Carr.

 She was the mother to all of her children’s friends and she was the Nan to all of her grandchildren’s friends, thereby creating her own large extended family.

She had many passions in life but her biggest by far was drag racing, where you’d find her “at the big end” cheering all of her people on. If that win light turned on, you’d be able to hear that “YEAH!” for at least the quarter mile. Her grandchildren were her heart and having them bounce around the house on the weekends was her joy. You could find them jumping from tables to couches, playing lava and making a lot of noise while their parents went to 9 mile! Every so often from the TV room she’d holler “what are y’all doing!”, and the small voices would say back “NOTHIN”. Lava was paused for a brief moment but would resume without a hitch. When the parents would arrive, she’d say “HURRY! Go get in my bed and pretend you’re asleep.”  It worked almost every time. She’d wait for those headlights to disappear before telling the kids they were gone. Lava resumed until they just couldn’t jump anymore. It was time to “get in the bed” as she’d say, and they’d happily climb in with her.

 She will be missed by many, but the memories will last a lifetime. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, Melvin M Hampton; her parents, Claude Earnest Rocky Jr. Manry & Willie Mae Manry; and her siblings, Doris Johnson, Claude (Apple) Manry, John Hardy Manry, Paula Manry, Jack Manry, Earnest (Tinker) Manry, Jerry Manry, Roy Don Manry, and her adopted by heart son Tommy Sawyer.

 Left to cherish the memories are her children, Kevin Hampton (Alieca), Kelli Mayfield (Dale), Kristina Ehr (John), and Scooter Hampton (Terry); and siblings, Jim Manry (Jo), Mary Williams (Cliff); grandchildren, Ashley Mayfield Pennington (Sam), Kyle Mayfield, Cody Rhyne (Tammy), Blaine Sweatt (Brittany), Colt Hampton, Kaci Hampton, Austin Sweatt (Wei-Lin), Kevin Hampton (Tyleen), and Tasha Clair; and great grandchildren, Bailey House, Jayden Vaught, Zakrey Mayfield, Kamryn Mayfield, Dominic Hampton, Maddie Hampton, EJ Franklin, Chris Franklin, Kacen Pennington, Ashton Pennington, Emerick Pennington, Clayton Clair, and Tyler Clair, plus all of the people she took in to be part of her family in her 81 years of full life.