Ken Hamilton
Kenneth Herbert Hamilton, 72, died suddenly in his home on Friday, February 6, 2009 in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
Kenneth was born March 21, 1936 in Geneseo, Illinois, the son of Herbert and Florence Carl Hamilton. He married Elaine Sand November 6, 1954 in the Grace United Methodist Church, Geneseo. They had three children, John, Cindy, and Kathy. He farmed one mile south of Geneseo for several years. Later, he owned and operated Ken’s Skelly and Tire Service and drove a charter bus for Green River Lines. In 1985, he and his wife moved to Monroe, Louisiana, where they operated a 130 room LaQuinta Motel. After retiring from LaQuinta they moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he sold real estate, prepared income tax for H & R Block, and was a BOA for Edward Jones.
Early in life, he played soprano bugle in the Black Knights Senior Drum and Bugle Corps in Kewanee. When in Geneseo, he served as Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce and was on the Board for six years, Parade Chairman of the Geneseo Music Festival, and Director of the Knights Drum and Bugle Corps from 1973-1981. He received the Knights Hall of Fame award in 1982. He also held all of the offices for the Geneseo Youth Football League and was an active Rotary member. While in Monroe, he was president of the Monroe Hotel-Motel Association.
For the past seven years, he and his wife spent their winters in Pharr, Texas, where he enjoyed golfing and assisted with recycling in their retirement community. He also liked watching shows in Branson, playing cards, tracking his stocks on the computer, and vacationing in Arkansas with his family. He loved to eat, talk with friends and family, and spend time with his grandchildren.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Green Trails in Chesterfield, Missouri.
He is survived by his wife, Elaine; his sister, Janet Nelson, East Moline, Illinois; his daughters, Cindy (Ben) Megli, Sterling, Illinois and Kathy (Doug) Anderson, Creve Coeur, Missouri; his daughter-in-law, Dea Hamilton, St. Charles, Illinois; eight grandchildren, Chad, Steffanie, Michael, and Rachel Hamilton; Joe and Sam Megli; Jessica and Erin Anderson; and one great-grandchild, Seanan Hamilton.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his son, John Hamilton.
A memorial service will be held at the United Methodist Church of Green Trails on Saturday, February 14, 2009 at noon. A visitation will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the church prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of choice in Ken’s memory.