Rita French Hamilton

Rita French Hamilton, passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at her home in Cary, North Carolina. Born November 24, 1936, in Norfolk, Virginia. She was the only child of Lieutenant Commander Donald R. French, USN and Stella Talalas French. Rita’s father was a Navy pilot and Silver Eagle which took the family all over the United States in her formative years. Rita graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Old Dominion University.

After college, Rita began her civil service career with the Naval Weather Research Facility as a mathematician and transitioned into information technology. She moved to Washington DC and worked in Naval Operations with the Joint Staff at the Pentagon. Before retiring, she moved to New Bern, NC and worked at Naval Air Station Cherry Point in logistics.

Rita served as a board member of the General Raymond G. Davis Templar Foundation, where she established an annual nursing scholarship for Palestinian Christians in honor of her mother. She also served on the board of the Jen Pennington Gray Harp Foundation and chaired the annual harp competition at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games.

Rita was predeceased by her husband, Captain Oliver Wendell Hamilton, Jr. and one granddaughter. She is survived by her son and daughter, Richard French Gaya and Catherine Gaya Taylor and three stepsons, Lawrence Alan Hamilton, Paul Brian Hamilton and Douglas Ross Hamilton; as well as numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A reception for both Rita and Oliver was held at Searstone, Performing Arts Center, 19001 Searstone Drive, in Cary, NC on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

A funeral service will be held for both Rita and Oliver on Friday, December 5th at 11:00 am at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel, 204 Arlington Ave., Fort Myer, Virginia. Immediately following the chapel service, burial 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 either: Parkinson Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive Suite 310, Miami, FL 33126, or to the General Raymond G. Davis Templar Foundation, Inc., 411 Black Oak Estates Road, Dayton, TN 37321-5766

Arrangements provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 Saint Mary's St. Raleigh, NC 27605.