Mary Helen Hamilton

Mary Helen Hamilton, loving grandmother, mother, wife, and teacher passed away peacefully on June 30, 2015, at Baton Rouge General Hospital. She was born May 19, 1935 in Los Angeles, attended school in Seattle, WA, and university at the University of Redlands and Stanford. She was a summa cum laude graduate of Stanford and a longtime resident of Baton Rouge.  Mary Helen was a legendary teacher at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. Her AP Chemistry course was known to be an important first step into a career in science or medicine. It was not a course that students took if they were only interested in high grades. She joked that every hospital in the area had at least one of her students on staff. Mary Helen was an avid traveler. She sent treasured travelogues to her family with stories from Antarctica to Uzbekistan. Her last adventure was hiking on Mt. Etna in Sicily just 6 weeks ago. Mary Helen volunteered thousands of hours in retirement to Louisiana Resource Center for Educators. She participated actively in the LSU Campus Club, the Newcomers Gourmet Club, her book club and the Faculty Athletic Club Mardi Gras krewe. She was a long time member of the University Methodist Church choir. She recently said that her greatest pride was the accomplishments of her family. Her husband William, her brothers Le (Tyke) and Richard (Lynn), her three children Eric (Mary), Chris (Susan) and Ann (Jeremy), and her six grandchildren, Jeff, Laura, Jennifer, Melissa, David, and Emma survive her.  In lieu of flowers, make a donation in memory of Mary Helen Hamilton to your favorite charity. Three of Mary Helen's favorites were LRCE (lrce.org), BRMHS, and University United Methodist Church. A service will be held in the sanctuary of UUMC at 11am on Monday July 6, 2015, 3350 Dalrymple, 70802.Visitation with the family will begin at 9:30am. Reception will follow at the church.