July 28, 1930 — Sept. 28, 2017

Our wonderful Daddy, Buddy Lyle Hamilton, 87, returned home to his heavenly parents on Sept. 28. He was born in Walla Walla, Washington, on July, 28, 1930, to Oliver and Alma Hamilton. He was raised during the Great Depression, which taught him true grit, humility, resourcefulness and hard work.

Buddy was the youngest of three boys and somehow survived their antics of lowering him down into an outhouse, rolling him down the hill in a tire and luring him into a bee’s nest, and much more.

He worked at a young age setting up bowling pins for 10 cents an hour. He valued hard work and never stopped. You could hardly ever catch him being idle. Although he worked on farms and helped build cabins, he still managed to graduate high school and lettered in wrestling. He loved lakes and being on them. He was a speedboat racer and won many races. He was also a sea scout during World War II.

Buddy was a convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and once he joined he embraced it like a true friend. He loved the scriptures, studied them daily and knew them by heart. He was forever faithful to the Lord, Jesus Christ. He served others with all he had. He would give you the shirt off his back and his last meal, if you asked him to.

He was a wonderful father to his seven children. He taught them the value of an honest day’s work, finance, common sense, love, compassion and loyalty.

He had a passion for boats and ships and, besides racing them, he would fix them. He was a boat mechanic for over 50 years and treated his customers with honesty and respect. He truly cared about them. He also enjoyed refereeing basketball for the church and the city of St. George. He was very proud that he could run up and down the court in his 60s. He enjoyed classical music, playing the guitar and singing. His small pleasures were reading the paper, watching football and listening to talk radio.

There were endless amounts of love and anxious people waiting for him on the other side, including his sweetheart, Janae Hamilton, who passed away last April; his two sons, Robert and Jayson, and his beautiful daughter, Rebecca. He leaves behind his daughters, Toni Klinefelter, Laura (Roger) Marshall and Lesley (Gabe) Sperry; son, Joel (Ann) Hamilton; 16 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

Daddy, you were our rock and the glue that held our family together. We know you still will on the other side. There are not enough stars in the sky to represent your good deeds, kindness and how you touched others’ lives. You were and are a great man, you will be very missed Papa Bear.

Funeral services

• Funeral services will be Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. at the St. George LDS Stake Center, 453 S. 300 East, St. George.
• A visitation will be held prior to services from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
• Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221.

For condolences, full obituary, and funeral listings please visit Metcalf Mortuary online.