Springfield attorney and businessman Sam Hamra passes away
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Sam Hamra, a Springfield attorney and businessman who was a staple in local industries and the wider community, has died. He was 92 years old.
Hamra was the founder and chairman of Hamra Enterprises, which owns and operates a total of 156 restaurants and other projects across Missouri and the United States, including locations for Wendy’s, Panera Bread, Noddles & Company and more.
Hamra is also known for opening the first Wendy’s in Springfield on West Sunshine Street in 1976, and Hamra Enterprises still operates most of the Springfield locations to this day.
Sam Hamra’s son Mike confirmed his father’s death in a Facebook post Saturday.
“I am sad to share the passing of my Dad, Sam F. Hamra. I was so grateful to have him as my father,” said Mike Hamra. “He loved his family deeply and cherished and appreciated any time that he could spend in enjoying life with them. He loved Southwest Missouri and worked to contribute back to the Springfield area, which he and my mom have called home for over 65 years. We will all miss him dearly but are grateful for the special and loving relationship of 67 years he had with our mother, and that they were blessed with four children and ten grandchildren.”
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Hamra grew up in Steele, Missouri as the son of Lebanese immigrants. He graduated from the University of Missouri with business and law degrees and served as an officer in the U.S. Army, where he was appointed as U.S. Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for Western Missouri.
As the attorney for the City of Nixa, he helped build the City’s Electric Distribution System.
He also fought for funding to widen Highway 65 from Christian County to Branson as Branson’s governmental relations attorney and to widen Chestnut Expressway in Springfield from Highway 65 to Kansas Avenue.
Hamra continued his civic advocacy by becoming a founding member of OakStar Bank, Charter President of the Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast, and a member of the Foundation Board for Ozarks Technical Community College. which also houses the Sam and June Hamra Family Library.
“Sam was a community builder and expressed his love for southwest Missouri by continually contributing to the Springfield area,” said Springfield Mayor Ken McClure. “Sam was one-of-a-kind and made an impact on so many aspects of Springfield.”
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The Sam F. Hamra Center for Justice, an 11,000-square-foot building, was named in honor of Hamra for his organizing and serving as the First Board Chairman of Legal Services of Southern Missouri. The building now serves 43 southern Missouri counties with 18 full-time attorneys.
Sam and his wife June Hamra also donated $800,000 for the purchase of land that would become The Kitchen Homeless Family Shelter on the O’Reilly Campus.
In October 2022, Mayor Ken McClure awarded the key to the city to Sam Hamra, one of only a handful of citizens to receive this honor.
“His ingenuity, dedication and generosity are traits to emulate and he is very worthy of this special honor,” McClure said during the ceremony in 2022.
Hamra was also named “Springfieldian of the Year” on January 26, 2018, the most decorated award given by the Springfield Chamber of Commerce for his community service and his dedication to the City and its citizens.
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