Sharon Hamilton

Sharon Janet Hamilton, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, lovingly known as “Grammy,” of Sunset Beach, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 31, 2026, at the age of 86. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 30, 1939, she was the daughter of the late Ellison and Pearl (Staubly) Waltemeyer and one of their fifteen children.

Sharon was a devoted mother and the heart of her family. She is survived by her loving children, Kathy Collins, Howard Ritenour, Richard Ritenour, Leonard (Catherine) Hamilton, and Michael (Tina) Hamilton Sr.; her seven grandchildren, Joseph (Aubrey) Collins, Stacey Collins, Christina Duvall, Tabitha Connolly, Angela (Sean) Crafton, Tatiana Hamilton, and Michael Hamilton Jr.; her ten great-grandchildren, Justin Miller, MacKenzie Miller, Cody Collins, Dean Collins, Casey Connolly, Addison Bailey, Remy Collins, Ide Connolly, Christopher Connolly Jr., and Oliver Crafton; her brothers, Ellison Jr., Robert (Patricia), David, and Daniel Sr. (Beverly); and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her sisters, Gloria Hol, Patricia Wright, Peggy Dunnigan, and Victoria Diggins; her brothers, Edward, Donald, Leonard, Joseph, Gary, and Sidney; as well as her son-in-law, Rickey Collins, and grandson-in-law, Christopher Connolly Sr.

Sharon was a homemaker for many of her early and later years, devoting her life to caring for her children and home, as well as babysitting her nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and countless neighborhood children. In midlife, she worked two jobs as a single mother to provide for her family. She will be remembered for her strength and love, as the matriarch of her family, and for the lasting impact she had on all who knew her.

In keeping with her wishes, she was cremated, and her ashes will be buried at a later date at Lorraine Park Cemetery in Woodlawn, Maryland, beside her mother and sisters, Gloria and Patricia. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Baltimore, Maryland and in Sunset Beach, North Carolina.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Sharon by making a memorial donation in her name to a charity of your choice.

White Funeral and Cremation Service, Bolivia Chapel