Mary Hamilton
Mary Theresa Hamilton died at the age of 97 on January 3, 2025, after a brief illness. Born in Des Moines, Iowa on December 16, 1927, she was the youngest daughter of Edward Thomas (“E.T.”) and Theresa Beatrice Collins. Mary spent a happy childhood in Des Moines. She was very beautiful, and in her teen years was chosen to model hats for local department stores. Mary graduated from St. Joseph Academy, a Catholic high school in Des Moines, and then completed the nursing program at the University of Iowa.
She married Howard D. Hamilton on December 1, 1950, and they settled in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where Howard had a successful law practice. Mary and Howard had five children, and Mary stayed busy with the children and their activities, including taking them to church every Sunday. Mary and Howard had an active social life, both as members of the Fort Dodge Country Club and as members of several bridge clubs with many of their friends.
As the children got older, Mary began working as an administrator at Iowa Central Community College. In their later years, Mary and Howard spent every winter in Florida, along with several of their Fort Dodge friends, and enjoyed hosting their children and grandchildren at their Twin Lakes house in the summer. Following Howard's death in 2010, Mary moved to Texas, where all three of her sons and their families reside.
Mary was predeceased by her husband, her parents and sisters, Patricia (Sister Ann Therese) Collins and Ann Laursen. Mary is survived by her children, Ann Lindstrom (Jack), Howard Hamilton, Jr. (Janet), Thomas Hamilton (Kathy), Edward Hamilton, and Clare Scruggs (David), and by her grandchildren, John Lindstrom (Lani), Sarah Glenn (Peter), Laura Allinger (Alex), Beau Hamilton (Alison), Travis Hamilton (Lorena), Matthew Hamilton (Ann), Amy Kirsch (Cameron), Blaire Jinx (Brian), Sara Hamilton (Matt), Caroline Scruggs (Priyankar), and Scott Scruggs (Brady), as well as numerous great-grandchildren. We will miss her welcoming smile and joyous outlook on life.