Search by Name

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

Donna Hamilton Obituary

Donna Ruth Hamilton July 20, 1948 - Dec. 28, 2012 Resident of Oakland Donna was born in Fresno, CA to Rev. Leo W. Hamilton and Veryl Hamilton. The family lived in both California and Nevada as Donna was growing up, as her father served in various locations for the United Methodist Church. She graduated from Novato High School with numerous honors. Her first semester of college was on the World Campus Afloat of Chapman College in 1966, sailing around the world. She attended College of Marin, and the University of California at Berkeley, earning a bachelors degree with Honors in Business Administration. She also belonged to Phi Beta Kappa. Her retail career over 45 years began while in high school at the Emporium Department Store in Marin County. She also worked at Capwells, Toys R Us and finally at Nordstrom in Walnut Creek. She served in many positions from sales to department manager Music was an important part of Donna's life. She sang in numerous choirs including the Oakland Symphony Chorus. She was a student of all forms of classical music and was quite knowledgeable about it. Another highlight of her career was the time spent as a programmer at radio station KKHI, now KDFC in San Francisco. Her life long love of music led her to join the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada where she was a Life Member. She served on the executive committee and the planning committee for several annual conventions including the 2008 event in Berkeley. Donna and her husband enjoyed traveling the United States and Canada and spent many vacations camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. She was also interested in Early California History and was a member of the California Historical Society. She attended Epworth United Methodist Church in Berkeley for over 40 years, sang in the choir, held numerous volunteer positions in the church, the district and the California-Nevada Conference of the United Methodist Church. She died peacefully with her husband at her side along with several friends singing hymns. She is survived by her husband of 37 years Patrick Flannery, his four grown children, her sister Nancy Fickbohm of San Rafael and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. A memorial service that will be held at Epworth United Methodist Church in Berkeley on Sat., Jan. 26 at 4:00 PM. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society or a charity of choice.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Inside Bay Area on Jan. 15, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for Donna Hamilton

Sponsored by Patrick, Her Loving Husband.

14 Entries

Kathleen Ann Jones

January 15, 2025

Missing you still, Donna ... always. You were such a wonderful, important part of my life.

Sharon Beckstead

March 28, 2013

Hymn Society events will not be the same without Donna but we will forge ahead in her memory. I so enjoyed working with Donna on the executive and especially appreciated all her work for the Berkley conference. It was great to be in her home. She was an inspiration to all of us.

Karen Bellimer

February 4, 2013

Hymn Society Annual Conference will not be the same without Donna. I had the privilege of serving on Executive Committee with her as well as sharing Annual Conferences with her. Her joy and enthusiasm were contagious. I am sure she is singing hymns in heaven!

Bill and Jenny Pate

February 4, 2013

Donna was one of the folks in the Hymn Society who made us, as non-professional, sort of hymn groupies, feel a real part of the society at the many conferences we attended over the years we have known her. We are saddened by the news of her death. We'll really miss her and hope to meet up with her again some day in that great celestial chorus!

Beverly Howard

January 31, 2013

It was my honor to work with Donna on the Executive Committee of The Hymn Society. I will always remember her enthusiasm, beautiful smile, and boundless energy. My prayers are with you.

James & Kathleen Hart Brumm

January 31, 2013

My wife and I are holding Donna's family in our prayers. She was one of our Hymn Society friends, whom we would see every year at the annual conference. Congregational song in her parish and far beyond was enriched by her presence, and we will be consoled in her absence by her song in our hearts.

Mary Nelson Keithahn

January 31, 2013

Donna was an inspiration to all of us who attend the annual Hymn Society conferences in the way she was facing her illness with courage and faith, always greeting us with a ready smile. Her presence will be missed. The conference she helped plan and administer in Berkeley a few years ago was one of our best. My sympathy to her family and all who loved her as a friend and collegue.

David Eicher

January 31, 2013

Remembering Donna with great fondness for her welcoming smile and friendly greeting at every meeting of The Hymn Society. Her geniune love of hymns spilled over to everyone around her. She will be missed, but a great lover of singing has joined the heavenly choir.

Tom and Linda Patrick

January 24, 2013

We remember Donna from our years of coming to Annual Conference. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband and family

Dennis & Pat Larson

January 23, 2013

WE always enjoyed being with Donna. She would greet us with her big beautiful smile and words of cheer. Hoping she met up with Toni...
Dennis & Pat Larson ?

Donna and Pat

Kathy Jones

January 21, 2013

Donna and I met when her dad became the pastor of the Methodist Church in Novato the year I started college at the JC in Marin. She was born the same day as my brother Bill Sauber, only in different parts of the country. We shared a love of classical music and church music, and she was interested in so many things and had an incredible memory for remembering facts and details which made her so much fun to talk to. After she started college with a semester aboard the S.S. Ryndam, sailing for the World Campus Afloat program for Chapman College, she came home singing it's praises and convinced me to spend my whole college savings account doing the same.

After I came home, broadened by the experience, and worked to replenish my savings, we commuted to Berkeley and finally moved there together as roommates. She majored in Business Administration and I in Music, but she was always at least as interested in my classes as hers! And she (and her folks) nursed me through mononucleosis my first semester there. I may not have stuck it out and gotten my B.A. had it not been for her encouragement and support.

After college, we still kept up our close relationship as we sang together with the Oakland Symphony chorus for years and attended concerts, sometimes ushering together. She was in Tom's and my wedding and she and her husband Pat were like extended family to our kids, never forgetting a birthday and always surprised us with big imaginative themed Christmas packages. And we always enjoyed postcards from their trips as well as hearing about them after they got home. She also shared the things that excited her about being involved in the Hymn Society and attending their annual conventions all over the country, looking at old hymns and new for their historical connections and significance, regarding music and lyrics, as well as embracing new works. At the last one she attended, she co-organized a whole program enlightening members about the vast wealth of cherished hymns that have been written over the centuries by gay and lesbian musicians, surprising and challenging attendees to look at these hymns and their creators with new eyes and broader acceptance.

In the past years we've enjoyed meeting up to go to concerts and do fun interesting 'field trips' with her and Pat.

Then the unthinkable happened. She got sick. When we talked on the phone, she'd talk about her cancer and treatments only when pressed, but she always wanted to know about what was happening with my family. At the end of the conversation she always thanked me for calling and talking to her, as if it was just for her benefit! We spent some time with her the last couple weeks and she was still amazing in her ability to be aware of who was around in spite of being heavily medicated. Thanking people for being there, thanking the hospital staff for helping her. She was so grateful for Pat's steadfastness throughout the whole cancer journey, being there every minute. Though she hadn't been very with it earlier in her last week, she suddenly became very 'there', sharing her love and last wishes regarding wishes for her memorial and later memorial hymn sing, as well as special possessions she wanted passed on. As this visit was just after Christmas, and some of the visitors were choir members from her church, we sang some Christmas carols and hymns. Donna has always loved the lyrics and insisted on all verses being sung, prompting us with the words when we forgot them...through her oxygen mask! Those last visits will stay with me forever.

Thanks for your prayers and loving thoughts for Pat and her family as they face the future without her.

Donna addressing The Hymn Society in 2008

Deborah Loftis

January 21, 2013

Memories of Donna and prayers for her family have been in my heart since her passing. As her memorial service approaches, please know that The Hymn Society will long remember the enthusiasm and great passion for singing that Donna brought to our gatherings. We miss her deeply.

Diana Halpenny

January 21, 2013

My condolences to Donna's family and many friends she left behind. I knew her in Novato when her father was our minister, and Donna always had a ready smile.

The Hymn Society at St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN

Jan Robitscher

January 17, 2013

I knew Donna through the Hymn Society and always admired her knowledge, enthusiasm and administrative skills, which were used to the full when the Hymn Society met in Berkeley several years ago. She will me very much missed. May she rest in peace.

Showing 1 - 14 of 14 results