Katherine Hamilton

Katherine Joan Hamilton, Age 82, of Sunset Lake Passed away on Sunday, March 27, 2011 in Bullhead City, Arizona after a brief illness. Born June 1, 1928.in Stambaugh MI She was the daughter of Dr. E. N. and Regina (Fotchman) Oberdorfer. Her family moved to Iron River in the early 1930s where she grew up with her four sisters. Her father was a long-time Iron River dentist. Katherine graduated from Iron River High School in 1946 and then attended Clark College for two years before finishing a degree in education at Western Michigan University in 1950. In high school and college, she sometimes worked part-time at Krom's Department Store and she also assisted her father. After graduating from college, she taught elementary school in Niles, Michigan for two years. Katherine married George D. Hamilton on April 6, 1953 at the Assumption Catholic Church in Iron River. They were married for forty-five years until his death in 1998. They lived in Oak Park, Michigan, Newberry, Michigan, and Central City, Iowa, where George was the director of the Linn County Conservation Board for twenty-two years. While living in Central City, she was a substitute school teacher and active in St. Stephen's Catholic Church. She and her husband returned to Iron River upon his retirement in 1988. They were members of the Elks Club, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Cecilia Catholic Church and the Rosary Sodality. Katherine was also a devoted member of the Polish Ladies of the Assumption Church and member of the St. Agnes Rosary Sodality. In addition to her husband and her family, her great pleasures included the many church and community organizations in which she took part, living on Sunset Lake, poker shoot-outs at the Elks and the American Legion, and rooting for the University of Michigan football and basketball teams. She also very much enjoyed spending the winter months in Laughlin, Nevada. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her sisters Jane (Oberdorfer) Gauss and Julie (Oberdorfer) Pavlak. She is survived by her sister Mary Janet Flaitz of Ocala, Florida and by her children David (Cynthia) of Lexington, Kentucky, Michael (Lisa) of Robins, Iowa, Stephen (Brenda) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Kathy Montz (Brian) of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Julie Dort (Charlie) of Papillion, Nebraska. She is also survived by six grandchildren: Ellen (Hamilton) Murphy, Caroline Hamilton, Christine Hamilton, Ashley Hamilton, Katie Hamilton, and Sean Hamilton and two step-grandchildren: Bryan Dort and Kelly (Dort) Whitbeck. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 27 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Caspian. The Ladies of the Rosary Sodality will form an Honor Guard at the service. In addition, her five children and their families will hold a memorial celebration at The Station on 4th Avenue from1:00 to 4:00 pm with remarks at 2:00 pm. The family suggests that memorial donations be sent to St. Cecilia Church, Caspian or a charity of one's choice. Funeral arrangements by the Jacobs Funeral Home, Iron River.