Thomas Blakely Hamilton 1937-2018

Tom Hamilton

Hamilton, Thomas Blakely

Shoreline, WA

Thomas Blakely Hamilton, age 81, passed away at his home in Shoreline, surrounded by his wife and children, on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. He was born on June 7, 1937 in Seattle, Washington to Thomas Blakeley and Winifred Jean (Beeson) Hamilton.

Tom spent most of his childhood in Seattle, attending Christ the King, Seattle Preparatory, and graduating from Lincoln High. He went on to attend college at Seattle University where he received his bachelor's in Psychology in 1961, and then to the University of Portland where he received his master's in Psychology in 1964. He was an Assistant Professor at Seattle University for 13 years, where he taught a variety of classes including psychology, statistics, and experimental design.

Tom moved to Shoreline in 1975 and married Kathleen Diane Barrett in 1976. Together they raised their children and survived many road trips, camping across the Western US and visiting National Parks.

He loved to travel with his wife Kathi and they went on countless cruises and adventures. Some favorite ones included the 2006 World Cup in Germany, cruising to Australia in 2011, riding elephants in Thailand in 2017, and numerous Disney and Harry Potter theme trips with his children and grandchildren.

Tom and Kathi shared a passion for the arts with their season tickets to the 5th Avenue and ACT theaters. They supported local sports as season ticket holders for both the Seattle Mariners and the Seattle Sounders. Tom loved reading and going to movies, especially science fiction, and enjoyed genealogy and researching family history. He loved to watch his grandchildren's sporting, theater and musical events and was always up for trying out the latest brewpub with friends and family, where you could find his signature Edgar Martinez Mariners logo'd PT Cruiser parked outside.

Tom and Kathi raised their family at Richmond Beach Congregational Church (RBCC) where Tom fulfilled many roles as an officer and on committees, participated in men's groups, and managed the church sound system where he trained younger generations on the sound board, including two of his grandchildren.

Despite his own musical challenges, he loved music. He was in many church plays and musicals as an original member of the RBCC Players, starting with a dramatic stage death as the captain in the Poor of New York. He enjoyed playing the grandfather in You Can’t Take It with You and sang courageously as Mr. Macy in Miracle at Macy’s. He also attempted piano lessons and had a brief stint in the church hand bell choir. As a founding member of PFJ (Pints for Jesus), he sampled many local pints north of the Ship Canal.

In addition to his work at a Seattle University, his varied career included brief stints as a cab driver, bartender, real estate agent, and home computer salesman for Texas Instruments until he found his calling in technical publications for the Boeing Company, from where he retired at age 60.

Throughout his life, Tom gave back to his community in many ways, including volunteering as a court appointed special advocate. Post retirement he also served as both Treasurer and President for the Seattle Genealogical Society, and as a volunteer tour guide at the Museum of Pop Culture.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 42 years, Kathi; sons, Thomas III (Joanna), Phillip, daughters Cynthia Raecker (Jeff), Melissa Hart-Kim (John), Kerri Franklin (Eric) and stepdaughter Sarah Lynette (Matt); 16 grandchildren; brothers Joseph and William (Mary), sister Carolyn Thomas (Gene) and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his brother Raymond. Tom will be interred at Acacia Memorial Park in Lake Forest Park, Washington.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, July 22, 2018, at noon at Richmond Beach Congregational Church, 1512 NW 195th St, Shoreline, WA, 98133.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Tom's name to Seattle Genealogical Society and MoPop.