Obituary for Darrell "Pete" Hamilton
Darrell “Pete” Hamilton, of Juliaetta, passed away Feb. 18, 2023, at the State of Idaho Veterans Home in Lewiston at the age of 87. He was born May 10, 1935, to William and Marion Hamilton in Marenisco, Mich.
Pete was raised in Michigan alongside his six siblings Iris, Larry, Curt, Neil, Roy and Joyce. When he turned 18, he began his logging job as a sawyer when his father was unable to work. This was the beginning of a lifelong career, only interrupted by his three years in the United States Marine Corps, to whom he was and is considered a true Marine and member of the American Legion Post-13.
After a trip overseas to bring soldiers back from Korea, he returned to the U.S. where he married his wife, Carol, on Aug. 11, 1956, and as a true, professional timber faller he began a logging journey that brought him from Upper Michigan to Idaho, where they decided to make their “forever home” and where he worked for Potlatch Forest Inc. for 43 years.
Throughout Pete and Carol’s travels across the country, they started their family of two boys and one daughter: Steve, Jerry and Cathy. Juliaetta became their home where they spent their time raising them and working around the area. Pete was very admiring of his family and enjoyed spending time with them at hunting camp as well as bonding over his favorite sports teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Gonzaga Bulldogs, and watching baseball games, both professionally as well as those of his grandsons.
Pete is survived by his wife, Carol; son Jerry Hamilton (Janice); daughter Cathy Cleveland (Todd); brother Neil Hamilton (Tina); sister Iris Welsh; as well as 33 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Marion Hamilton; his son Steve Hamilton; brothers Larry, Curt and Roy; grandson Travis Cleveland; and great-grandson Cody Keffer.
A private burial will be held Saturday, March 18, at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens in Lewiston. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at his beloved hunting camp.
Pete was raised in Michigan alongside his six siblings Iris, Larry, Curt, Neil, Roy and Joyce. When he turned 18, he began his logging job as a sawyer when his father was unable to work. This was the beginning of a lifelong career, only interrupted by his three years in the United States Marine Corps, to whom he was and is considered a true Marine and member of the American Legion Post-13.
After a trip overseas to bring soldiers back from Korea, he returned to the U.S. where he married his wife, Carol, on Aug. 11, 1956, and as a true, professional timber faller he began a logging journey that brought him from Upper Michigan to Idaho, where they decided to make their “forever home” and where he worked for Potlatch Forest Inc. for 43 years.
Throughout Pete and Carol’s travels across the country, they started their family of two boys and one daughter: Steve, Jerry and Cathy. Juliaetta became their home where they spent their time raising them and working around the area. Pete was very admiring of his family and enjoyed spending time with them at hunting camp as well as bonding over his favorite sports teams, the Seattle Seahawks and Gonzaga Bulldogs, and watching baseball games, both professionally as well as those of his grandsons.
Pete is survived by his wife, Carol; son Jerry Hamilton (Janice); daughter Cathy Cleveland (Todd); brother Neil Hamilton (Tina); sister Iris Welsh; as well as 33 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Marion Hamilton; his son Steve Hamilton; brothers Larry, Curt and Roy; grandson Travis Cleveland; and great-grandson Cody Keffer.
A private burial will be held Saturday, March 18, at Lewis-Clark Memorial Gardens in Lewiston. A celebration of life will be held at a later date at his beloved hunting camp.