Horace Porter Hambrick, MD died as he lived – with courage, compassion, and wit, with a wise, gentle demeanor – resolute in his faith, with unconditional love for all – most especially for his family, his patients, and for those Jesus called, "the least of these among us." He died just 98 days after diagnosis on September 5th, 2025 from a rare, unrelenting, and cruel cancer – undifferentiated synovial sarcoma. Despite significant suffering, from the moment of his diagnosis, Dr. Hambrick was convinced that "nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." The legacy of his healing touch, his hopeful perspective, and his conviction that all people should be able to live into their best, most authentic selves will continue to offer a redemptive balm to the world long beyond his 72 years.

Dr. Hambrick was born in Lexington, Kentucky on September 1, 1953. He grew up in his beloved Georgetown, Kentucky and graduated from Georgetown High School, then crossed the Ohio River to graduate from Hanover College in 1975 where he majored in Biology and met Willow McGinley Hambrick – whom he married in 1976. They lived their "wild and precious" young lives in Louisville, Kentucky while Dr. Hambrick attended medical school and did residency training at the University of Louisville. There he earned the Spurling Award – given to the most outstanding pediatric resident – in 1982. Dr. Hambrick opened his first pediatric practice in Shelbyville, KY from 1982-1986.

Always longing for home and the bluegrass of central Kentucky, which matched the pure blue of his eyes, he moved his family to Georgetown, Kentucky. He started his pediatric practice from scratch – seeing just 10 patients the first week that he opened in a wing of the hospital and surviving as a solo practitioner for 3 straight years of being "on call" day and night. As his practice grew, he moved to a double wide trailer behind the hospital, and eventually to his current office that now has 8 pediatricians, a nurse practitioner, and two clinical therapists who offer his vision of quality, compassionate, personalized care to more than 30 Kentucky counties. He practiced medicine for 39 years and said he felt fulfilled and purposeful every waking moment. He especially enjoyed the miracle of holding a newborn baby.

Dr. Hambrick gave his heart, his time, and his medical intellect to the healing arts. Dr. Hambrick was lifetime Board Certified in Pediatrics and was a valued Neonatal Resuscitation Program Instructor. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Georgetown Community Hospital, where he also served as Chief of the Medical Staff. He was a volunteer faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics at UK, served on the Wedco Health Department Board, the Scott County Health Department, and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Community Advisory Board.

Dr. Hambrick never considered retiring and what free time he had he gave to his family, his church, and his community. He was a fierce social justice advocate – including support for the Fairness Ordinance in Georgetown and full LGBTQIA+ inclusion in church and society. He was the founder of a free monthly medical clinic at Faith Baptist Church to uninsured children from 1998-2019 and made 19 medical mission trips to places including Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, Brazil, and Sierra Leone. Continuing his family's long association to Georgetown College, Dr. Hambrick served on the Board of Trustees from 2015 until present, and while in Hospice care he was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters conferred by President Dr. Rosemary Allen and Board chairperson Guthrie True.

Dr. Hambrick garnered many awards for his considerable efforts. He was an inaugural member of the Scott County Hall of Fame in 1999, the recipient of the Jim Reid Community Award in 2006, a Kentucky Colonel, and most recently was named the 2025 Immunization Champion for the State of Kentucky for his lifelong, fierce dedication to vaccination and public health. He and his wife Willow team-taught adult Sunday School classes together for over 40 years.

Dr. Hambrick was preceded in death by his parents, Honorary Dr. Maribeth Porter Hambrick and Dr. Horace T. Hambrick and mother-in-law Phyllis Rae Henry McGinley and father-in-law William LeRoy McGinley. He is survived by his wife, Georgetown City Councilmember Willow Dee Rae McGinley Hambrick, and five children, Logan Christi Hambrick, Esquire (Kenya), Reverend Amanda Rae Hambrick (New York City), Dr. Erin Porter Hambrick (Kansas City, MO), Georgetown College graduate Gentry Blair Hambrick (Georgetown), and Dr. Horace Rhodes Hambrick, (Chicago). Known affectionately as Pop, he was proud of all nine of his grandchildren - Amie Rae Katta, Abdimalik Rhodes Majid, Adan Henry Majid, Levi Davis Hambrick Ashcraft, Zane Porter Hambrick Ashcraft, Skyler Rae Hambrick Ashcraft, Larkin Bellatrix Hambrick Ashcraft, Avery Blair Brawner, and Rye Danford Brawner. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Burch Ratliff (Wes Ratliff, Bloomington, IN) and a host of beloved in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

HP was the best definition of a life well lived - and wearing it in plaid with a pen and an ibuprofen in his pocket. He was tirelessly devoted to his family. In his dying days he had us lift his weak arms around his wife, children, and grandchildren for a long last hug, spoke a blessing to each, and helped us all sing, "When We All Get to Heaven". He loved swimming, chess, reading theology and history, watching uplifting movies, and cheering for the Kentucky Wildcats. He said marrying Willow was the best decision he ever made. They recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary and long enjoyed the simple pleasures of playing tennis, bridge, biking, hiking, and vacationing in exotic places like Rwanda's Volcano National Park with the giant silverback gorillas, the ancient beauty of Zanzibar, and the storybook island of Lamu. Dr. Hambrick took all 19 of his family on a miraculous last vacation, just one month before he died – on safari in the Maasai Mara and Diani Beach in Kenya despite considerable cancer pain. His deep hope for humankind can be summed up by what he told us all one Kenyan morning at breakfast with tears streaming: "I hope that some time in their lives, everyone can know the joy I feel in the embrace of my whole family and the beauty of God's creation." May it be so for us all.

Dr. Horace Hambrick's Visitation is Friday, September 19th from 2:30-7:30 at John L. Hill Chapel, 400 East College Street, Georgetown, KY. His Celebration of Life is Saturday, September 20th at 1:30 pm at First Christian Church – Disciples of Christ, 112 East College Street, Georgetown, KY 40324. Any overflow crowd will have seating and Livestream Viewing of the funeral at Georgetown Baptist Church (right next door to First Christian Church), 207 South Hamilton Street, Georgetown, KY 40324.
Pallbearers are: Lewis Bradley, Rick Covington, Bob Culbertson MD, Horace Rhodes Hambrick MD, David Hoddy MD, Asa Overall, Wes Ratliff MD, Larry Toering, and Scott Weakley, DVM.

Honorary Pallbearers are: Kristi Menke MD, Jennifer Riebel MD, Ann Quakenbush MD, Lacey Sweigart MD, Katie Smallwood MD, Will Grey DO, Jennifer Oliver MD, Johanne Goodykoontz, Bill McGinley, Jackie McGinley, Chuck McGinley, Heather Haas, Matt Haas, Shyla Toering, Mary Burch Ratliff, Frankie Johnson, and Marcy Holladay.

Live stream viewing of the funeral service for those not attending will be available at the following link:
https://vimeo.com/event/5372272

Donations in Dr. Hambrick's honor can be given to * The Danford Thomas Lecture Fund at Georgetown College 400 East College Street, Georgetown, KY 40324 * Kijabe Hospital Needy Children's Fund – https://friendsofkijabe.org/give/ * First Christian Church – Disciples of Christ – 112 East College Street Georgetown, KY 40324.