Oliver Wendell Hamilton Jr.

Retired Captain Oliver Wendell Hamilton Jr., U.S. Navy, passed away peacefully on January 24, 2025, at his home in Cary, North Carolina. Born November 5, 1930, at the family home in Jamesville, North Carolina, he was the only child of Oliver Wendell Hamilton Sr. and Stella Davenport Hamilton.

Oliver attended Jamesville High School in Jamesville, North Carolina where he was the valedictorian of the class of 1948. In high school he was on the basketball and baseball teams. He obtained the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was in the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC), lettered in soccer, and a member of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Commission in the US Navy in 1952. He attended the University of Michigan where he earned a Master of Business in 1962.

During his distinguished career as a naval officer, he was stationed at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, attended the School of Navy Command and Staffing (1965-1966) and the School of Naval Warfare (1966-1967), served on three naval vessels; the USS Shenandoah (AD26), the USS Black (DD666), and the USS San Diego (AFS6). He was also stationed at the Naval Air Station in Beeville, Texas, the NATO ASW Research Center in La Spezia, Italy.

In Washington, D.C. he worked with the DXDXG Ship Acquisition Program, the Naval Shipping Engineering Center, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Defense Fuel Supply Center. He retired in November 1982.

Oliver served as the President of the Coastal Carolina Chapter of the Navy League, President of Clan Hamilton Society, President of the Scottish Heritage Society of Tidewater, Virginia and was an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church USA.

Oliver was predeceased by his first wife, Shirley Hack Hamilton and one granddaughter. Following Capt. Hamilton's death, his second wife, Rita French Hamilton, passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2025.

He is survived by his three sons from his first marriage, Lawrence Alan Hamilton, Paul Brian Hamilton and Douglas Ross Hamilton; and a stepson and stepdaughter from his second marriage, Richard French Gaya and Catherine Gaya Taylor; as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held for both Oliver and his wife, Rita French Hamilton on Friday, December 5th at 11:00 am at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel, 204 Arlington Ave., Fort Myer, V. Immediately following the chapel service, burial with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery. A reception for those in attendance will follow the burial service, time and place are to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to any of the charities that Oliver was passionate about, the American Cancer Society or a charity of your choosing.

Service arrangements provided by Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary's St., Raleigh, NC.