William E. “Bill” Hamilton

William E. “Bill” Hamilton

1920-2015

William E. “Bill” Hamilton was born in Dayton, Ohio, November 4, 1920 to Gail and Gladys Everhart Hamilton. He died September 28, 2015 in Edmond, OK. When Bill was two years old, his father died. Two years later his mother married Paul Thompson of Albia, Iowa. Bill attended kindergarten and 12 years of school in Albia.  As soon as Bill finished high school in 1939, he joined the Navy. His first ship was the USS Pennsylvania. He left this ship to attend Aerographers School in Lakehurst, NJ.

At the time of Pearl Harbor he was stationed in the South Pacific at a Naval Air Base in American Samoa. In 1944, Bill was sent to the Naval Air Base at Norman, OK. By this time he was Chief Aerographers Mate. Dorothy Andrews was an aerographer at the base. They were married in 1945. To this union, three children were born, Mary Ellen, John, and Robert.

After eight years in the Navy. Bill worked briefly at the US Weather Bureau in Oklahoma City and two years as an assistant air traffic controller in Albuquerque, NM. After Bill attended law school in New Mexico for two years, the family moved back to Oklahoma City where he went to work as a property inspector for Insurance Services of Oklahoma. Later he became a Certified Property Casualty Underwriter. He has been a member of C.P.C.U. for 50 years, a Lion’s Club member for 55 years, and a member of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, for over 60 years. Most of that time he sang in the choir and sometimes played in the bell choir. He is an Elder Emeritus of FCC Edmond. Bill and Dorothy loved to travel, play bridge, dance and volunteer where needed. After Dorothy’s death, Bill married Hulda Fagan on August 22, 1992. They moved to Oklahoma Christian Campus in 1994 which is now Bradford Village.

Bill is preceded in death by his parents, first wife Dorothy and son Robert. He is survived by wife Hulda, Brothers, Ben Rex Thompson, Jack (Phyllis) Thompson, Tom (Jean) West and Sister, Donna (Bill) Baer, Daughter, Mary Ellen Collins, Son, John (Becky) Hamilton, Step-son, Edward (Lana) Fagan, Step-daughters, Frances (David) Ray and Lajuana Wire. Eight grandsons, one granddaughter, 16 great grandchildren and one great great grandson. Also, seven special sisters in law and their families.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Friday, October 2 at First Christian Church, 201 E. 2^nd Street, Edmond.

In lieu of flowers make donations to First Christian Church building fund or a charity of your choice. Services under the direction of Matthews Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Edmond, OK.