Richard Jerry Hamilton was born December 28, 1929 on his parents’ homestead near Billings, Montana. He was the son of Jerry S. Hamilton and Evelyn Louise Weis. Richard’s father died when Richard was three years old. He and his mother lived with extended family until she met and married John Bott in 1937 in Billings. The family moved to Windsor CO where Richard attended High School. He met his lifelong sweetheart, Jean Bistline, their Junior year and, after graduation, married October 20, 1950.
The couple moved to California and Richard worked for Douglass Aircraft. He joined the U.S. Marine Reserve. While in the Marines he trained in Jacksonville FL, Memphis Tenn., and Santa Anna CA. Richard was stationed in Longbeach, CA where his two daughters, Susan and Debra were born. After Richard got out of the Marines he worked for Saybolt International from 1955 to 1962. He calibrated tanks in Colorado and surrounding states before moving to Springfield, MO. He moved back to Colorado in 1960 and began working at Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant. He retired from Rocky Flats in 1990. Richard continued to work for private companies in the nuclear weapons industry for two more years as Rocky Flats was decommissioned. He fully retired in 1992.
Richard loved his family. He always had a boat and loved to spend time boating, fishing, hunting, and working on the family cabin near Golden Gate State Park. Time at the cabin holds fond memories of family times spent hiking, playing games, and tobogganing. He and Jean purchased a condo at Dillon Lake and shared time there with their children and grandchildren. Eventually the couple sold the cabin and purchased condos near Branson MO and spent Fall and Spring enjoying the Ozarks where the kids and grandkids loved to come and visit.
Richard was generous with his time and resources. He served as treasurer of his local church for many years and volunteered for 14 years as a Ranger at Arvada Reservoir. He and Jean went on several Work and Witness Mission trips in the U.S., Mexico, and Africa. He was always willing to help others from his neighbors to strangers on the other side of the globe.
He and Jean loved to travel. They took their daughters to Panama when the girls were in High School. They went to Hawaii several times, took cruises to Alaska, Belize, Acapulco, Mexico, and around Hawaii. They toured Europe and shared their love of travel with their family by taking them to Playa del Carmen, Mexico three times.
He was a loving and generous man that will be missed by everyone.
Richard is survived by his two daughters; Susan Gaines (Terry) of Colorado Springs, CO and Debra DeBord (Dave) of Brighton, CO; four grandchildren, Kevin Gaines (Jennifer), Andrea Ossenfort (Don), Lori Hewitt (Brad), and Mark DeBord (Sarah). He is also survived by nine great-grandchildren including Kayla (Chais) Forte, Kyle (Kristin) Gaines, Anthony (Amber) Ossenfort, Matthew Ossenfort, Jacob Ossenfort, Riley Hewitt, Kayley Hewitt, Adalyn DeBord, and Braxton DeBord and one great-great grandson on the way, Lincoln Forte.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Hamilton, and his parents and his sister.
A celebration of life for Richard will be held Friday, November 12, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery, 7777 West 29th Ave, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 with entombment to follow.
Serving as pallbearers are Mark DeBord, Kyle Gaines, Kevin Gaines, Brad Hewitt, Anthony Ossenfort and Don Ossenfort.
Honorary pallbearers are Sarah DeBord, Kayla Forte, Chais Forte, Jennifer Gaines, Kristin Gaines, Lori Hewitt, Amber Ossenfort, Andrea Ossenfort, Jacob Ossenfort and Matthew Ossenfort.
The services will be livestreamed using the link below
https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/authorise.php?k=1636252667146791
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.CrownHillFuneral.com for the Hamilton family.
