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On Monday, September 7, 2009, after nearly 75 rich years of life, Carmen Williams Hamilton passed away at her home in New Smyrna Beach surrounded by family and friends. A service will be held Sunday, September 20, at 1 p.m. at Carmen and Carl's home, 1899 Bayview Dr., New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168, (386) 428-4376. Chaplain Mark Spivey of Hospice of Volusia/Flagler will conduct the memorial service. All are welcome to attend this celebration of Carmen's life. Carmen was a devoted wife, friend and mother and a talented cosmetologist, author and photographer. She will be fondly remembered by her classmates from the Mainland High School Class of '52, as an enthusiastic, popular social butterfly. Awarded the biggest Gift of Gab by her senior class, Carmen was also an active cheerleader, thespian and "Sweetheart" to the Hi-Y and Typhoon Hi-Y Boys' Clubs. One of her proudest moments was holding the title of Miss First Time Voter 1956. After graduating, she married Carl V. Hamilton, AKA "Teeny" (Mainland Class of '51) on November 7, 1954. During the course of their 55 year marriage, Carmen and Carl enjoyed relaxing on the water, having toast and tea early in the morning, dancing and spending time with friends and family. Carmen loved family and class reunions and always played a major role in planning Hamilton gatherings and Mainland High School events. In 1968, Carmen obtained her license in cosmetology from Daytona Beach Junior College and received an award for Most Outstanding Student. Her skills as a hairdresser and a seamstress were highly valued by her grandchildren, especially during Prom season and Halloween. She spent hours sewing elaborate costumes and dresses and whipping hair into beautiful updos. Her innovative costumes created from recyclable materials won 1st place at the New Smyrna Halloween parade four years in a row. After her career as a hairdresser, Carmen maintained her community involvement by working as a switchboard operator at the Daytona Beach News Journal for 10 years. Carmen was a passionate and dedicated mother to her son, Jeff, her daughter, Lori, and her granddaughter, Jennie. She never missed an opportunity to be involved in social and scholastic events and even worked as a substitute teacher at Chisholm Elementary for several years. Carmen was an avid photographer and scrap booker, filling nearly 100 albums with photos of her family including her beloved granddaughters, Whitney, Cacee, Hillary and Jennie and her great granddaughters, Ava, Isla and Gracie. Among her grandchildren, she was known affectionately as "Gommy" a name coined by her first granddaughter, Whitney. Over the past decade Carmen enjoyed attending writer's group meetings with the M & M's (Memories and More) and working on her autobiography. Her finished book titled "Check My Stories, Not My Grammar" was accepted for publication earlier this year by Publish America. Carmen is survived by her husband Carl; her children, Lori Hamilton Rose (Whit), Carl "Jeff" Hamilton (Renae) and Jennifer Hamilton Diaz (Robbie); her grandchildren, Whitney Rose Trantham (Jimmy), Hillary Lynne Rose and Cacee Layne Rose; and her great-grandchildren, Ava Jaymes Rose, Isla Rose Bohan and Gracie Rose Trantham. In lieu of flowers please send donations to Hospice of Volusia/Flagler at 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, FL 32129. |
