- Date Of Birth: March 6, 1918
- Date Of Death: January 1, 2011
- State: Pennsylvania
Sarah Jane Hamilton, 92, of Williamsport, died after a brief illness on January 1, 2011 in the Paoli Memorial Hospital, Paoli Pennsylvania while visiting with her family over the holidays.
Sarah was born in Williamsport on March 6, 1918 the only sweet child of Dorothy Stryker Gehret Striker and James Charles Gehret. She was the step-daughter of William Spencer Striker. She grew up in the Jaysburg section of Newberry where she was raised in the loving home of her maternal grandparents Rodney Byron Stryker and Sarah Weaver Stryker who were originally from Montoursville.
She was a lifetime member of the Newberry Methodist Church, having been baptized there in 1918. Upon its closing, Sarah became a member of St. John’s Newberry Methodist Church.
A 1936 graduate of Williamsport High School, Sarah married her childhood sweetheart George “Red” Wesley Hamilton, Sr. in January 1938. They first met as children on the Lincoln Elementary School playground where they began to develop a life-long romance. At the time of his death in April 1996, they had been married for 58 years.
They lived half of their adult lives in a wonderfully close-knit Newberry neighborhood on Fairview Terrace. While there, Sarah was active in the Jackson Elementary School PTA and Girl Scouts of America.
“Red” and Sarah worked tirelessly together at the old Municipal Golf Course which was located on Fourth Street next to the original Little League field. He served as the course’s superintendent and golf pro while “Sal”, as “Red” and her friends at the course affectionately called her, served as the pro shop assistant. The course was later renamed by them as the Elm Park Golf Course, the name inspired by the majestic Norwegian Elm Trees that lined the fairways. Always athletic and competitive, she learned to love and play the game of golf shooting par with the best of them during her time at Elm Park. In her later years, her love of athletics continued as she was an avid fan of Penn State football, the Philadelphia Eagles and Phillies.
She is survived by her devoted daughter, Dorothy Marie Hamilton (Robert) Reeh of Malvern Pennsylvania. She was predeceased by a beloved and adored son, George Wesley Hamilton, Jr. of State College Pennsylvania who brought her everlasting joy.
In addition, surviving are four wonderful grandchildren, Pamela Suzanne Reeh (James) Brunken of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jeremy Robert Reeh of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, Natalie Jane Hamilton and Julia Louise Hamilton, both of State College, Pennsylvania. There are two darling great grandsons, Wesley James Brunken and Jakob Reeh Brunken both of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
The family expresses deep appreciation for all of the kindness, concern and love shown by relatives, friends and neighbors. We would like to especially thank the David Wyland family and the Richard Free family for their heartfelt generosity which has always been appreciated and will always be remembered.
