on Oct. 18, 1929 to Kelly Wallace and Esther "Essie" Walters Hamilton in Camp Dix, Kentucky but lived much of his life in Baltimore, Maryland before spending his final years in Dunn and Falcon, North Carolina.
Enoch grew up in the mountains of Kentucky and never seemed to outgrow his sense of wonder. He was a middle child in a bustling family of thirteen. Enoch experienced rural life on a farm, but his father also owned and managed several general stores. One of them was located directly beside their home. Enoch was doted on by older siblings but still learned to do his part. When he was nine, he volunteered to go and live with his grandmother to help her with daily chores. In exchange, she taught him to cook and helped him develop the strong sense of faith and Christian service that would guide him for the rest of his life.
As a young man, Enoch followed his older brother, Jim, to Baltimore, Maryland. There, he began a long career with Bethlehem Steel in Sparrows Point, Md. He married his wife, Virginia, in 1951. Together, they raised a large family and served diligently in the Baltimore Pentecostal Holiness Church. He was a deacon and Sunday School teacher and she was a Missions director and a Sunday School teacher. On Saturdays, their family served as the church janitors. Upon his retirement, Enoch and Virginia moved to Falcon, North Carolina and spent an additional fifteen years working for Falcon Children’s Home before retiring a second time in 1998. While living in Falcon, the Hamiltons joined Culbreth Memorial Pentecostal Holiness Church. Mr. Hamilton again served as a deacon and a Missions director before joining the choir and volunteering to clean the church, for free, during his final years of good health.
Mr. Hamilton was a man of few words but of much prayer, deep faith and many good deeds. He was a joyful, tender and devoted man who earned respect through sincerity, humility and love.
Enoch was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Virginia Mae (Lee) Hamilton and is survived by his son, Ronald Dean Hamilton and daughter-in-law Deborah of Rains, South Carolina; daughter Betty Hamilton Lloyd and husband Ralph of Hampstead, Maryland; daughter Jane Marie Lloyd and husband Stephen of Stewartstown, Pennsylvania; daughter Debra Hamilton Meulstee and husband Jerry of Moreno Valley, California; daughter Josephine Weese Turpin and husband Clifton Jr. of Falcon, North Carolina; daughter Karen Hamilton Lucas and husband Nassie “Chip” III of Falcon, North Carolina; grandchildren Amy, Christine, Rachel, Stephen,Jr., Jessica, Jonathan, Amber, Heather, Jonathan, Joshua, Brittany, Clifton III, Noah, Haven, William (Liam); and great-grandchildren Isaac, Piper, Estelle, Ryan, Tyler, Tucker, Sawyer, Dominic, Leah, Aubrey, Greyson, Heidi and one on the way.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020 at 2 p.m. at Culbreth Memorial Pentecostal Holiness Church in Falcon, NC with Rev. Danny Nelson, Rev. Casey Strickland and Rev. Joseph Arthur officiating. Burial will follow in the Falcon Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday Evening, Jan. 29, 2020 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cromartie - Miller Funeral Home of Dunn.
In lieu of flowers, monetary donations may be given to Falcon Children’s Home at P.O. Box 39, Falcon, NC 28342 or to the World Missions Department of the North Carolina Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church at P. O. Box 59, Falcon, NC 28342.
