James “Jim” Hamilton, 67, of Bushnell, Florida, passed away on Friday, October 11, 2024, at AdventHealth Orlando after a brief illness.

Jim was born on April 4, 1957, in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy, where he proudly served for six years.  This marked the start of a life filled with adventure and travel.  Following his time in the Navy, Jim worked as a government contractor for almost 30 years, seeing wondrous sights and meeting equally amazing people. 

One of Jim's greatest adventures came on April 1st, 1979, when he met the love of his life, Cathy Hamilton.  Jim and Cathy would lovingly say that their April Fools Joke never ended.  The couple was looking forward to celebrating 45 years of marriage in December. Jim leaves behind his devoted wife Cathy, their two children, Shawna and Jeremy (wife Christie), and three cherished grandchildren: Hayden, Cameron, and Lily.

After retiring, Jim spent several years volunteering at Myrtle Beach State Park(SC), Huntington Beach State Park(SC), Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge(TX) and Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge(NC).  Jim loved spending time on the beach looking for sharks teeth and enjoyed teaching the people he met on the beach how to find them even more! His friendly nature meant he never met a stranger, and he loved sharing stories with visitors.   Jim was a loyal and reliable friend that was always there when others needed him.  Jim and Cathy spent many winters in Florida before making the permanent move to Bushnell.

Jim adored his grandchildren and treasured his time spent with them, especially teaching them how to crab. These outings often led to family crab cookouts, a favorite tradition. In his free time, Jim could be found at the pool hall, singing Elvis and Frank Sinatra at karaoke, or cheering for the Clemson Tigers. His children fondly remember teasing him about his love for washing his truck and sharing countless rummy games.

The Hamilton family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the outstanding medical team at AdventHealth Orlando CVICU and ACSU for their exceptional care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sawyers Creek Baptist Church  in Camden, NC where his children and grandchildren attend in Jim's honor. sawyerscreek.org/give  A Celebration of life will be held at Sawyers Creek Baptist Church on October 26, 2024 at 241 Sawyers Creek Rd, Camden, NC, 27921 from 1pm-3pm.

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