Jack B. Hamilton, 96, a resident of Victoria for 63 years, passed away May 4, 2020. He was born November 27, 1923 in Taylor, TX to B.A. and Itha Gossett Hamilton. He was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, LaVerne Ownsby Hamilton on August 27, 2015; his parents; brother, Charles Hamilton; sister, Jeanette Gandt; son-in-law Ronnie Benes; and granddaughter, Kacy Hamilton. He is survived by four children: John B. Hamilton (Jan); Judy Benes; Jack R. Hamilton (Patty), all of Victoria; and Janis Fowler (H.E.), of Inez; 10 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
He graduated from Taylor High School in 1940 and attended Southwest Texas State Teachers College in San Marcos during 1940 and 1941. Jack was a World War II veteran, enlisting in the U.S. Army shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jack and LaVerne were married in Taylor on December 24, 1942 and she proceeded to follow him to various Army bases around the U.S. as he completed his training. He graduated from flight school in the Army Air Corps in May 1944 and was deployed to Europe in the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron in July 1944. Jack saw action in France, Rhineland, Normandy and Central Europe as a pilot of a C-47 transport aircraft and was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant in January 1946.
Jack moved his family to Victoria in January 1957 to assume ownership of East End Lumber Company. He sold building materials and built custom homes until he retired in October 1984. LaVerne and he then traveled extensively, both abroad and in the U.S. and Canada. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and especially golf. He was a proud member of “The Bully Open”, a colorful cast of characters and friends with whom he regularly played golf (and had epic card games with on the 19th hole) at Riverside Golf Course for many years. He served as a board member of the Victoria Park Improvement Association in the 1970s and 1980s, was president of the Home Builders Association of Victoria in 1964, was president of the Stingaree Football Booster Club in 1969 and also coached his son’s Minor League baseball team in 1960 and 1961. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Victoria.
Pallbearers are John B. Hamilton, Jack R. Hamilton, John Benes, Jarod Fowler, Christian Fowler, H.E. Fowler and Brett Hamilton.
The family wishes to express its heartfelt thanks to the excellent staffs at Sodalis Memory Care, Citizens Medical Center and Harbor Hospice, and to Dr. Frank Parma for the kind and compassionate care they provided Jack after he was severely injured in a fall on February 2, 2020.
Jack will be laid to rest at Memory Gardens Cemetery with folding of the flag and the playing of taps under the auspices of the Victoria Veterans Council.
A Memorial Service will be held at a later date to celebrate Jack’s life.
Memorial donations may be made to Harbor Hospice or Dorothy O’Connor Pet Adoption Center.
Words of comfort may be shared at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com
