Dr. Michael Joseph Hammack, DDS, passed away on May 6, 2026 in Prosper, Texas at the age of 79. He was an adoring husband, a proud, supportive father, a warm friend to everyone he met, and a good man. He is deeply missed by his family and friends, who are both grieving his loss and giving thanks for the many wonderful years they spent with him. He lives on in the hearts of his beloved wife, Mary; his three children, Jenny and her husband Bryan, David and his wife Meghan, and Chris and his wife Brittany; his six grandchildren, Brandon, Mia, Colton, Jameson, Luke, and Maggie; his sister Carol and her husband, Mike; and his many loving friends, “adopted” family, and neighbors.
Michael was born on March 4, 1947 to Charles Hammack and Clara Isabelle Hammack (née O’Gara) in Columbus, Ohio. His family moved frequently due to his father’s career, and by Michael’s teenage years, they settled in San Diego, California. He attended University High School in San Diego, where he played varsity golf, and then put himself through San Diego State University, where he studied zoology.
The next five decades of his life were defined by his work ethic, his dedication to his wife and children, and his always-expanding list of interests, projects, and hobbies. He initially wanted to attend medical school, but his plans of becoming a physician were diverted when the medical board lost the results of his entrance exams. His “backup plan” of sitting for the competitive dental school entrance exams—on a whim, and without any preparation or study—suddenly provided an alternative, when he learned that he had placed among the very top dental school candidates in the country.
He attended the Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. There, he met Mary, who was working as a dental hygienist after studying at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Michael and Mary eloped in secret on July 3, 1977, in a tiny Las Vegas wedding chapel. They wed publicly on August 20, 1977 in Lincoln, Nebraska, but kept their elopement a cherished secret for more than 25 years (much to the surprise of their family and friends).
Michael and Mary returned to California when he was accepted as one of just four students admitted to the prestigious orthodontics program at UCLA’s School of Dentistry. In 1980, he began his solo orthodontic practice in San Diego, with Mary working by his side. He practiced for 34 years.
In 1988, the two of them built their dream house together in East County San Diego and raised their family there until both boys completed college and Michael retired in 2014. Upon retirement, their Midwestern roots brought them east to Prosper, Texas. Shortly after, he completed a decade-long project of building his dream car, a 1965 Shelby Cobra. In Prosper, he centered many of his days around planning weekend drives for his car club, developing close friendships with neighbors and fellow enthusiasts, and enjoying the precious time he had with his wife, children, and grandchildren.
A greater man there never was.
A funeral service for Michael will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 11, 2026 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Chapel, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. The service will also be live streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Michael’s obituary page by visiting: https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/dr-michael-joseph-hammack. After the service, the recorded live stream will be available at the same link. Following the service, a procession will make its way to Ridgeview Memorial Park for a committal service.
The family will receive friends during a visitation from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 10, 2026, at the address above.