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Phyllis Hamilton
Leigh Hamilton & Phyllis Hamilton
Davis native Leigh Hamilton and his wife Phyllis Hamilton died following a vehicle accident near Jenner last week. He was 89, and she was 83.
A memorial service for the couple will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Davis Community Church, 412 C St. Burial will be private.
A lifelong Davis resident, Leigh Hamilton was born Jan. 23, 1916, to Frank John Hamilton, who was Davis' police chief from 1946 to 1960, and Mabel Magdalina (Montgomery) Hamilton, whose first cousin was Marguerite Montgomery and who is related to other Montgomery family history in Davis.
Leigh Hamilton died March 6, 2005. He was raised in Davis and graduated from Davis High School. He was a signalman for Southern Pacific Railroad for 35 years and was a member of F&AM Athens-Silveyville Lodge in Davis. He also was a member of the Fraternal Order of Masons.
Since his retirement, he enjoyed watching sports and, until a few years ago, playing golf and bowling. He visited daily with friends at a doughnut shop. The couple enjoyed traveling, and took country roads to visit family and friends.
According to family, Leigh Hamilton loved children and could win the hearts of even young or shy children, having them laughing in no time. Always friendly, he was known to strike up conversations with people he had just met.
Said to be the oldest living resident to be born in Davis, he took pride in his history in the community and enjoyed learning about Davis.
Phyllis Hamilton was born July 13, 1921, in Peru, Ind., to Claud and Dorothy Stinson. She attended Oakland schools, including Technical High School and Merritt Business College. During her school years, she was active in church functions, chorus and the a cappella choir, and loved playing the piano. According to relatives, her family always knew her mood by the type of music she was playing.
She was a member of the Rainbow for Girls in Oakland, where she held several offices, such as worthy adviser and the state office of choir director.
A 40-year resident of Davis, she was a member of Davis Community Church and the church's Women's Circle. After moving to Davis in 1965, she worked for the Davis School District as the secretary to school counselor Hanna Bauer, then, until she retired, as school secretary at Pioneer School.
The couple marriage Nov. 6, 1971.
The couple is survived by Phyllis Hamilton's daughter, Susan Sherer Friel and her husband John of Arbuckle; her son, Edward F. Sherer III and his wife Diane of Camino; a sister, Mary Ann May of Shady Cove, Ore.; her nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
The couple also is survived by Leigh Hamilton's daughter, Janet Hamilton Goin and her husband Robert G. Rogers of Richmond, Va.; three grandchildren, Deborah Leigh Goin of Naples, Fla., Dewitt T. Goin of Prospect, Va., and Lisa Goin Wilson of Cleveland, N.C.; four great-grandchildren; a niece, Leigh Ann Machado of Pleasanton; and two great-nieces.
Leigh Hamilton was preceded in death by his first wife, Marceille Hislop Hamilton, in 1956.
Phyllis Hamilton was preceded in death by a daughter, Sylvia Lee Divelbiss; a sister, Margaret Schmies; a brother, Jesse Stinson; and a nephew, Russell Lentz. She also was preceded in death by her first husband, Edward F. Sherer Jr., in 1961.
Donations may be made in the couple's names to Davis Community Church or American Heart Association, (800) 242-8721.
HAMILTON
William John Hamilton, III
Well known scientist and rural Winters resident William John Hamilton III died April 24, 2006. He was born Nov. 13, 1931 in Ithaca, New York. A graduate of Cornell University in 1953, he served in the Korean War before coming to UC Berkeley to study under Starker Leopold and receive his PhD in 1960. After a post doctoral stint at the California Academy of Sciences studying duck migration, he took a position at UC Davis in 1963, where he remained until he retired in 1994, continuing his research as an emeritus professor until his death. He was an internationally recognized research scientist in ecology and animal behavior, working extensively in California and Africa throughout his career.
Mr. Hamilton began research on animal ecology in Southern Africa in 1968, mainly in Botswana and Namibia, continuing after he retired, teaching field ecology courses until 2005. He also had research projects in Egypt, the Caribbean, Central and South America and Indonesia. He was the author of numerous books and articles.
For the last several years he traveled throughout the Central Valley, for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game, studying tri-colored blackbirds.
He was considered the authority on the threatened California tricolored blackbird, studying population trends and actively pursuing management strategies to protect its long term survival.
Mr. Hamilton delighted in the natural world with a love and sense of wonder that bordered on the ecstatic, according to his colleagues. He was trained in natural history from a very young age and spent numerous days in the field with his father, Cornell University mammalogist William Hamilton, Jr. Throughout his life there were always new and fresh wonders to delight him.
He is survived by Marion, his wife of 50 years, daughter Susan and three grandchildren, Lily, Emma and William, all of Winters. Their son John preceded him in death in 2000.
A memorial gathering to remember Bill will be held on Saturday, May 27, at 10 a.m. at the home of John and Marsha Anderson, 21740 County Road 88, north of Winters. The family would appreciate contributions to the Yolo Land Trust, P.O. Box 1196, Woodland, CA 95776, or the charity of the donor’s choice.
HAMLIN
Jonathan Ashton Hamlin
Jonathan Ashton Hamlin died in his Lake Berryessa home Saturday, April 13, 2002, at age 20.
Born June 2, 1981, Jonathan was a former Ridgecrest resident. He was a resident student at California School for the Deaf in Fremont, but spent his weekends at his family residence in Lake Berryessa. He was best known by family and friends, simply as, Jono or John Boy. He was born and raised in Ridgecrest.
Shortly after birth, Jonathan was diagnosed with Dandy Walker Syndrome, which eventually lead to his death. This syndrome left him totally deaf, unable to speak, and with partial paralysis in half of his body. Despite these handicaps, Jonathan was full of life and enjoyed all the same things that other young boys do, according to family members. He loved video games, watching TV, remote control cars, camping, dancing, weight lifting, doing push-ups, and even driving. He enjoyed listening to rock-n-roll music, which he did by placing speakers on his knees and feeling the vibration. His favorites activities included anything that had to do with water sports, like boating and sunbathing, but above anything else, Jonathan loved spending time with his family and friends, family members reported.
The DO-DADS, a local horseman's club, used to hold an annual charity rodeo, where they sponsored one disabled child each year. This event was held for 10 years and was sponsored by, Susan (Youngblood) McDonald, along with her family and friends. In 1982, they selected Jonathan for this honor and made him one of their, "DO-DAD Kids." Jonathan was also a member of Ridgecrest's Desert Area Resource & Training organization.
Jonathan is survived by his father, John Hamlin of Lake Berryessa, principal of Woodland High School; mother, Emily Hamlin, and brother, Kyle Hamlin, both of Ridgecrest; and numerous family and friends.
A memorial service was conducted Monday, April 22, at All-Faith Chapel.
Woodland High School students held a candlelight memorial on Tuesday, April 23.
The family requests memorials be directed to California School for the Deaf, Fremont Cottage 2, Special Needs Program. In memory of Jonathan Hamlin, 39350 Gallaudet Drive, Fremont, 94538. Make checks payable to Parodi Funds.
HAMMES
Louise Elizabeth Hammes
Louise Elizabeth Hammes died at Sutter Davis Hospital on Dec. 29, 2005. She was 81.
Respecting her wishes, a private family service will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, in Davis. Interment will be private.
Born June 2, 1924, in Delaware City, Okla., to Oscar and Mary E. (Crawford) Garner, she left Oklahoma after completing her schooling, arriving in California where she was employed as a switchboard operator at Edwards Air Force Base.
It was there that, on a blind date, she met her husband of 49 years, Charles L. Hammes. Together they spent the next 18 years of their Air Force life traveling the world and sharing the various cultures of those places together.
She lived in the Philippines, Morocco, Hawaii and various bases in the United States. During her time in Morocco, she was active with the chaplaincy services and traveled to Germany to confer with the European bases chaplain's groups for a multi-service program to be used in the military.
She was very active with the Family Services Units at each base, helping new families to settle in and assisting in all emergency situations as they occurred. She was fond of sewing, gardening and attending her son's swim meets.
She was preceded in death by her son, Ross Hammes.
She is survived by her husband, Charles Hammes, and her son Robert Johnson and his wife Joan, all of Davis; a sister, Kathryn Wathen of Lawton, Okla.; and a brother, Owen Garner of Grove, Okla.
She is further survived by two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Donations in her memory may be sent the charity of the donor's choice.
Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors of Woodland is assisting the family with arrangements.
BROWN
Jonathan Pierce Brown
Jonathan Pierce Brown of Berkeley died at UC Davis Medical Center on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2003, after a six-month battle with brain cancer. He was 40.
He was born in Laconia, N.H., on April 1, 1962. He grew up in Thornton, N.H., and attended The Farm and Wilderness Camps in Plymouth Union, Vt., for several summers. He later lived at The Farm, a commune in Summertown, Tenn.
He attended Holderness School in Holderness, N.H., and Proctor Academy in Andover, N.H. He earned his GED in 1980. He took courses at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, N.H., and Sacramento City College.
He lived in Davis from 1985 to 1991 and moved to Berkeley, where he lived until the time of his illness. He worked for Blue Heron Catering Company in Oakland and was the head chef at The Townhouse Bar and Grill in Emeryville.
He was passionate about the outdoors, especially skiing. He enjoyed music, literature and good food.
His father, Chester H. Brown Jr., preceded him in death.
He is survived by his mother, Barbara (Nath) Brown of Davis and Campton, N.H.; three sisters, Stephanie Brown Fehm of Davis, Susan Brown Norris, and her husband Timothy of East Andover, N.H., and Katharine Brown of Davis; a niece, Gretchen (Fehm) Blake, and her husband, Ian, of Woodland; a nephew, Matthew Norris, and his fiancee, Tara Dudley, of Seattle; and three great nieces, Anna, Allison and Elizabeth Blake of Woodland.
A remembrance and celebration of his life will be on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Stonegate Country Club, 919 Lake Blvd., in Davis.
Contributions in his memory may be put to the attention of Tom Chipp and sent to the American Cancer Society, care of Sutter Hospital Foundation, Cancer Center: Support Services, 2800 L St., Suite 420, Sacramento, CA 95816.
BROWN
Joyce Brown
Joyce Brown died in Woodland Saturday, April 23, 2005 at age 72.
Mrs. Brown was born Jan. 22, 1933 in Atlanta. She had been a Yolo County resident for 10 years. She was a graduate of Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa and worked as a secretary and homemaker for most of her adult life. She was a member of Christ Community Fellowship Church of Woodland.
Survivors include Mrs. Brown’s daughter, Paula Osborn of Woodland; her stepdaughter, Linda Wilson of Yakima, Wash.; her sons, Jeffrey Osborn of Washington, D.C. and Chris Osborn of Issaquah, Wash.; her daughter-in-law, Linda Dempsey Osborn of Eugene, Ore.; her grandchildren, David and Evan Matthews of Woodland and Sam Osborn of Eugene, Ore. and her sister, Joan Wortham of Weaverville, N.C. She was preceded in death by her first husband, Lynn Robert Osborn and her second husband, Revere Andrew Brown; her mother, Veta Inez Willis Wortham and her father, William Russell Wortham.
The family requests memorials in Mrs. Brown’s name be directed to the American Heart Association, 1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, 94010 or the American Diabetes Association, 2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 110, Sacramento, 95833.
Services: Respecting the wishes of Mrs. Brown, private family services have been scheduled. Kraft Bros. Funeral Directors is assisting the family with arrangements.
BROWN
Juliet Guadalupe Brown
Juliet Guadalupe Brown died July 5, 2005, at her home in Davis. She was 81 years old.
To celebrate her life and aloha spirit, a memorial Mass will begin at 11 a.m. Monday at St. James Catholic Church, 1275 B St. in Davis. A casual reception will follow in the church’s memorial center. To honor her request, her remains will be scattered later in her beloved Hawaiian islands.
Born in Los Angeles on May 6, 1924, she earned a degree in drama at the University of Southern California and her teaching credentials at UCLA Fernald School. For many years, she taught and tutored special-needs children in South-Central Los Angeles, and in Honolulu and Waikoloa in Hawaii.
During World War II, she was an active member of the Women’s Naval Auxiliary, and was the woman often chosen to christen newly built ships by breaking a champagne bottle on the bows of the vessels as they headed to sea.
She was described by her family as a beautiful and talented singer with a rich, husky voice who enjoyed entertaining service people in clubs, on radio and in recordings.
After her children were older, she met her second husband Don, and moved to Hawaii where he was a radio talk show host. Together they enjoyed all of Hawaii’s many natural gifts; they made every evening special by always dining by candlelight.
She loved music, theater, travel, children, bright aloha apparel and all animals. She had a "pet" mongoose in Hawaii and later adopted her constant companion Lucy, a terrier mix.
She came from a long line of natural comedians; her sense of humor, optimism, kindness and an ever-present smile were an inspiration to her family, students and friends.
In 1995 she moved to Davis, where she became involved in St. James Catholic Church and Bible study groups, and was a volunteer greeter at the Davis Senior Center. Because of her Hispanic background, she enjoyed preparing, and especially eating, authentic Mexican foods.
"A fun-loving, warm and kind lady with a great heart, she sought out independence and adventure until the end of this life, at which time she began another grand journey, " her family says.
She was preceded in death by a daughter, Diane (Dicey) Copes-Mehau, and her husband Donald Brown.
She is survived by two daughters, Linda Copes of Sacramento and Christine Copes-Gerbitz of Papaikou, Hawaii; a son, Bill Copes of Sacramento; and three grandchildren, Anna Mehau, Meagan Fenisey-Copes and Kelsey Copes-Gerbitz.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the charity of the donor’s choice.
