Robert Joseph Hamilton

This is my father and this is his correct birth name. It is the only name he ever went by. Additionally, it should be noted that he is the child of my paternal grandfather, James Wilford Hamilton, and Gladys E Barlow. Gladys is the niece of Lou Marie Mabin, who was married to James Wilford Hamilton. In those days I think it mattered what people did and every effort was made to conceal mistakes/misdeeds. My understanding is that alcohol was probably part of this relationship. Gladys was taken to another state where someone was willing to falsify birth documents. No intent to pass judgement. Lou tried her best to be a mother to my father and should be held in high esteem for doing what she could with, what must have been, a very difficult situation. Dad eventually found out and shared a warm and congenial relationship with his biological mother, later in their lives.

I think "Bob" was still in the Navy when he married Mom, Melba Jean Haga. They wed on December 22, 1945 in Minot, Ward County, North Dakota.

The family moved around a bit before settling in Whitefish, Montana.
Robert James (Jim) Hamilton was born on July 29, 1947 in Minot.
Gerald David Hamilton was born on March 7, 1949 in Superior, Wisconsin.
Barbara Jean Hamilton was born on December 18, 1950 in Superior, Wi.
Beverly Eileen Hamilton was born on April 6, 1953 in Whitefish, Mt.
Robert Bryan Hamilton was born on May 27, 1954 in Whitefish, Mt.

While in Whitefish, Bob, as he was called, worked for the Railroad. He soon decided the railroad had no future so he applied for the Border Patrol and went to El Paso, Texas for initial training. He returned to Whitefish to gather and moved the family to San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, and Chula Vista, California, circa 1959-60. It was during this time that the he and Melba divorced.

He stayed in the South San Diego area, briefly, joined the U S Postal Service as a letter carrier and worked evenings for the Big Sky Drive-in Theater. Somehow, he found a deal on a small property in what proved to be in the most economically depressed county in the nation. And moved with his new wife and oldest son, Robert James (Jim) Hamilton to Leland, near Sunny Valley, Oregon, from about 1961 until 1964. While there he worked as a Buzz Sawyer for the Wolf Creek Lumber Mill and worked odd jobs during winter months.

In about 1964-65 Bob left Oregon and returned to Palm City, near Imperial Beach, California and enrolled at Southwestern Junior College taking advantage of higher educational opportunities offered to veterans. He got his associates degree at Southwestern Junior College in Chula Vista, California and upon graduation was accepted at University of Nevada at Las Vegas. To help make ends meet he caught and milked snake venom. Snakes were plentiful in the Las Vegas area. Bob was on the Dean’s list both at Southwestern and UNLV. He received his degree in English and got a Teaching Certificate in about 1968.

His first teaching job was in Terreton, Idaho but soon made his way to Kamiah, Idaho where he taught and worked until his untimely death on February 28, 1982. He was an avid runner. He kept track of his daily mileage on his calendar and had logged about 310 miles as of the 27th—the day before he died—while out running, with his dog. I don’t remember the dog’s name.⁴