John Hamilton
12 DEC 1933 - 29 MAY 2002
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MaryAnn and Hank Meetze - Jean and Cliff Fralen - Charlie Berg -
Kelly Lichtenberg - Gwyn Kitchel Hamilton - and Jackie Merry
John Hamilton's Funeral - July 2002
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Meetzes - Fralens - Charlie Berg (ex '55)
July 2002
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I - 2
1st Row: Skip Macdonald - Harvill - Wray - Roades - Wallis - Meetze - Sims
2nd Row: Tom McCarthy - Bill Brown - Wells - Roth
3rd Row: Vanden Bosch - Schow - John T. Hamilton - Jeter - Walt Campbell
4th Row: Gray - Fralen - Donald - Fiscus
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Loosely quoted the bible says that God knows when even a sparrow falls in the forest. When one of us leaves - we all feel it. You were the best of the best. Al Parker June 4 - 2002 John Thomas Hamilton of Union Grove - a retired mathematics and physics professor - died Thursday. He was 68. Mr. Hamilton taught at Ohio State University - graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point and was a Rhodes Scholar. He was a retired national director of the American Contract Bridge League. Survivors include his wife - Gwyn J. Kitchel Hamilton; and one brother - James R. Hamilton of Beaufort - S.C. A memorial service will be held at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Laughlin Service Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to Marshall County Hospice. Huntsville (AL) Times June 4 - 2002 Roomed with John plebe year. Was absolutely the smartest (and one of the nicest) guy(s) I have ever met. Loved jazz. Wrote a major paper on jazz and Louis Armstrong. Spent many a weekend with Red Boy over his head and the phonograph listening to jazz. Was taking correspondence courses at another institution while maxing most everything at West Point during plebe year. Hank Meetze June 7 - 2002 John was one of the most brilliant students that I have ever known - as well as being one of the most formidable bridge opponents that have ever played the game. His contributions to the physical sciences have been significant and lasting. We are proud to call him a "classmate". Well done - John - be thou at peace. Tom Horst June 9 - 2002 John Thomas Hamilton was born in Tulsa, OK, on December 12, 1933, son of James Roscoe Hamilton and Nina Irene McReynolds Hamilton. His father was a career officer in the US Army stationed at that time at OMA in Claremore, OK. John's younger brother, James (Jamie) Hamilton, was born in 1940, and lives in Beaufort, North Carolina. John was named for his paternal grandfather and the family called him "Tom" to avoid confusion with the elder JTH. He is still known as Tom to family members. The family moved often, Ft Davis, CZ, Ft Thomas, KY, Camp Custer, MN, Ft Benning, GA, and Camp Rucker, AL. His father served with the 264th Regiment of the 66th Division and saw action in western and southern France. When the war ended John's father was assigned, to Ft Campbell, KY, then to Baltimore, MD, where he was Chief of the Military District. It was there that John attended Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, a college prep school. Beginning his lifelong love for mathematics and the academic world. In the fall of 1949 the family moved to Big Delta, AK, a forlorn post. John took his lessons via short wave radio and correspondence courses, graduated first in a class of one! He enjoyed working with the sergeant in charge in running the local radio station during that time. Early 1950 John took the family back to Baltimore and John attended Johns Hopkins University until entering the academy in July of 1951 with the class of 1955. During his years at West Point, John pursued correspondence courses in parallel with the curriculum. He was always willing to help those who needed help including members of the football team. Yearling year, when he was able to go to New York City for football games or other activities, John frequented the jazz venues to hear the artists of the day. He also spent time in his room under the "red boy" comforter listening to jazz, one of his passions all of his life. He was a member of the Chess Club, Mathematics Forum, Pistol Club and West Point Forum. He also participated in intramural golf, volleyball and lacrosse. At graduation he was first in the class, academically, second overall, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lt in the USAF. He earned a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford as did three other classmates. Most Rhodes Scholarships are for two years, and extendable to three for outstanding students. John was there three years. He loved the academic atmosphere at Balliol (Oxford). He studied mathematics and physics and was awarded a Master of Arts degree from Balliol in December 1961. He was the first American to receive "First Honors" for his work in physics. He made several notable friends at Oxford. One, Gilbert Strang was a brilliant mathematician who later taught at MIT, authoring several math textbooks. John also became good friends with Paul Sarbanes, a 1954 graduate of Princeton who was another Rhodes scholar. He is currently the Senior Democratic Senator from Maryland. In 1958 John returned to the US where he was stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, as a theoretical physicist in the Aeronautical Research Laboratory, Air Sciences Division. In September of 1962, he resigned his regular commission and joined the Air Force Reserve. He would continue to serve a month each year with the Air Force until he retired from the Reserve in 1978 as a Lt Col. After he resigned he moved to Columbus, OH, where he took classes in mathematics, physics and fluid mechanics at Ohio State University and taught as a teaching assistant. In 1988 he was awarded an MA in math. His love of bridge led him to join the staff of the American Contract Bridge League directing and organizing bridge championships throughout North America (and Mexico). By 1968 he was the National Director in charge of all NA championships. The current ACBL Administrator called John "one of the brightest, most knowledgeable and technically proficient tournament directors ever." In the mid 70's, John married Sondra J. (Sandy) Shearer. He went to a tournament to help a friend of hers put out a "Daily Bulletin." It took John until June of 1979 to convince her that she should be Mrs. Hamilton. She traveled with him to tournaments until he retired from ACBL. Sandy died in 1995. Bob and Gwyn Kitchel were fellow bridge directors and good friends of the Hamiltons. Bob died in July 1995, a few months before Sandy. John kept in touch with Gwyn and stopped to visit her in North Alabama on a trip south in the spring of 1997. He moved to Union Grove, Alabama, later that year. They were married in 2001. Early in 2002 he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died at home 30 May, 2002. Needless to say he left explicit instructions for arrangements preceding his death. John was inurned at West Point with full military honors on 26 July 2002 with his wife Gwyn, family members and classmates attending. John's first cousin, Benjamin Hamilton, delivered a moving eulogy, as did Hank Meetze who shared memories from some of John's classmates. The class sent a beautiful fresh flower wreath. There was a reception at the Hotel Thayer after services. John left a sizeable legacy to Balliol to fund scholarships for 2nd and 3rd year students. He also left a legacy to the Physics and Math Departments at West Point. Ohio State University received a very large collection of military history books. These bequests underscore John's generosity and love for all three institutions. John loved books, jazz, good wines, good food, crossword puzzles, all sports and never missed an episode of South Park. John's mother wrote in his baby book that he started reading at age 2. This began a lifetime of voracious reading of 2 or 3 books a day. He was also interested in languages, learning Japanese the last few years of his life to go along with his French and German. Almost everyone who has ever known John Hamilton, both at West Point and in the years after graduation has said that he was the most brilliant person they ever knew. John's wife, Gwyn, has said that John "was a gentleman and a scholar." That sums it. Stan Harvill, classmate Assembly, 2004 |
USMA 1955 Roster
USMA 1955 Pictures