Jack Hamilton

Jack Lee Hamilton, one of six children of Jack Nathaniel and Ruth (Fanning) Hamilton, was born October 17, 1937 in Quenemo, Kansas. He attended grade school in Williamsburg and Waverly, Kansas, and graduated from Waverly High School in 1955. Jack received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Emporia State University in 1963, and earned his Masters Degree from Pittsburgh State College in 1970.

On June 16, 1957, Jack was united in marriage to Ronda Bay at the Methodist Church in Hall Summit, Kansas. Four children: Elizabeth, Alice, Becky, and Dan, were born to this union.

Jack taught for nine years in public schools in Kansas, and included coaching football, basketball, and track in his resume. In 1972 he moved his family to Peru, Nebraska, where he took a position in the Business Department at Peru State College. He taught for many years there, and at his retirement in 1999 was serving as the Department Chair. While at Peru, he started the Business Contest competition for area high schools, which is still popular with students.

Jack was always active in the communities in which he lived. He was a very active member of the Peru Community Church, and helped with many projects within the church. He was a member of the Peru Kiwanis Club, the Peru Gandies, and served on the Peru City Council, the Peru Museum Board, and the Mt. Vernon Cemetery Board. He had also served on the Nemaha County Hospital Board and the State of Nebraska Professional Practices Commission. Possibly Jack?s most rewarding community involvement was serving as a Boy Scout troop leader for 15 years. He helped many young men rise in rank in the Boy Scouts through his mentoring.

Jack loved to build and fix things, just about anything he was asked to do. He was involved with much of the volunteer concrete work done in Peru, including the Steamboat Trace Trailhead. He built his daughter?s home in Peru, and even started the ?Freebie Construction Company? with Lyle McKercher.

Jack loved the outdoors, especially in the spring, and enjoyed camping, fishing, and canoeing. He was also an avid tennis player. Mostly, though, Jack was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who spent as much time as he could with his family.

Failing health began to take a toll on Jack in recent times. On Monday, April 2, 2007 he was rushed to the Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, where he passed away at the age of 69 years, 5 months, and 15 days. He was preceded in death by his parents Jack and Ruth, parents-in-law Fred and Dora Bay, sisters Delores McNulty and Charlotte Baker, and grandson Caleb Hamilton.

Those left to celebrate his life include his wife Ronda of Peru; children Elizabeth and husband John Ramirez of Kansas City, KS; Alice Hamilton of Peru; Becky and husband Ray Girard of Peru; Dan and wife Jen Hamilton of Nebraska City; grandchildren Nicholas, Joshua, Hannah, and Molly Girard; Noah and Mason Hamilton; sisters Pat Stoffer of Olathe, KS; Grace Phillips of Dallas, TX; Thelma and husband Charles Robison of Garland, TX; sister-in-law Shirley Gosney of Newton, KS; brothers-in-law Roy Bay of Waverly, KS; Bill and wife Pam Bay of Leavenworth, KS; Chuck Bay of Kansas City, MO; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were Thursday, April 5, 2007 at the Peru Community Church, officiated by Revs. Edith and Harold Bickford. Laurie Schulte was organist for congregational hymns. Pallbearers were former members of Troop 325 Jared Decker, Jason Sherman, Pat Marnell, Bill Vore, Ryan Pugh, Brian Woerth, Andy Tynon, Thomas Wheeler, Shawn Sherman, Clinton Pebley, and Kevin Carpenter. Honorary pallbearers were Troop 325 Leaders, Jack?s tennis buddies, and his good friends and colleagues at Peru State College and the town of Peru. Burial followed in Mt. Vernon Cemetery near Peru.