Ferdinand William Hackmeyer, Jr.
Ferdinand William Hackmeyer, Jr. (Bill) died on January 3, 2021 from complications of Covid-19 at Ascension Sacred Heart Hospital in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.
Born January 15, 1942 in Mobile, AL, he was preceded in death by his parents F. W. Hackmeyer, Sr. and Lea Mallon Hackmeyer and his son, Michael Rhett Hackmeyer.
Bill graduated Salutatorian in 1960 from Mcgill Institute in Mobile and was a senior on the Golf Team that won the high school state golf championship for the first time in Mcgill’s history. He graduated from Georgia Tech with honors with an Industrial Engineering degree in 1964. While at Georgia Tech he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, was inducted into Tau Beta’s Pi and Phi Kappa Phi honor societies and was on the Georgia Tech Golf Team.
Bill was a serial entrepreneur and businessman throughout his life, teaching those around him the importance of “postponing gratification”, investing for your future, and the power of compound interest. Bill joined the Trane Company in 1964 as a sales engineer in Memphis, TN, earning a spot in the Trane Top Ten each year from the late 70’s until leaving the company in 1990 to focus on his growing real estate portfolio. Bill served on the East Memphis Rotary Club and was a founding director of Red River Bancshares, Inc., serving on the Board of Directors since 2001. Always taking charge, Bill was Association President of Oceania in Destin, FL before moving to Vizcaya in Santa Rosa Beach where he also served as HOA President.
Bill was larger than life and had a true heart. An amazing spirit, husband, father, friend, businessman and Patriot, there was no one quite like him. He put his whole self in the things for which he was passionate and always strived for perfection. Bill was a man of deep principles for which he stood firmly and proudly, often in the face of criticism, threats, and adversity. He was loyal to a fault, and you always knew where you stood with him, both good and bad!
But most of all, he loved his family and instilled in his children a strong work ethic and conservative values, even requiring them to read his favorite book Atlas Shrugged to guard their minds against the dangers of socialism. These values and his wisdom continue to serve them well. Bill will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.
Bill is survived by his wife, Linda Phelps of Santa Rosa Beach, FL and children, Brooke Sparks (Brian) of Memphis; Tanis Hackmeyer of Memphis, Jonathan Hackmeyer (Angie) of Memphis, and Jeff Hackmeyer (K’lea) of Dallas.
Grandchildren: Tara Jett (Tim), Ashley Toney (Brandon), Sydney Sparks, Taylor, Connor, Crawford and Turner Hackmeyer. Great grandchildren: Parker and Savannah Toney, and Hunter and Jennings Jett.
He is also survived by his sister, Lea Geary (John) and his nieces and nephews.
There will be a Celebration of his Life in the early summer at his home on the beach where he loved to “monitor paradise” and swim in the Gulf at all times of the day and night!
In lieu of flowers the family suggests that you make a memorial gift to Georgia Tech, St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Rita Catholic Church (Santa Rosa Beach, FL), The Cato Institute, Heritage Foundation and/or the Coalition for Property Rights-fl.
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