John T. Hamilton

1953 - 2021

John T. Hamilton

John T. Hamilton, age 68, of Missoula passed away early on the morning of July 3rd, 2021, at Saint Patrick's Hospital with his wife Robin by his side.

John was born in Missoula on April 28th, 1953, to Donald and Betty Hamilton. When he was young the family lived in Spokane, WA. From there they moved to Helena where John began school and formed many lifelong friendships. The family relocated to Dillon where John graduated in 1971, once again developing friendships that lasted a lifetime. It was while living in Dillon that John got his first horse and developed a lifelong passion for riding. Throughout his life he was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed hunting, fishing, hiking, and canoeing.

John always had wings on his feet and at the drop of a hat would set out on a journey with friends or by himself, on a bicycle, motorcycle, in a car or on horseback. Before entering college, he spent six months hitchhiking across Europe with a dear friend.

John developed a passion for history at an early age. He attended Eastern Montana College and then Western Montana College before completing his first degree in History at Utah State University in Logan, Utah in 1978. He completed his second degree in Anthropology with an emphasis in Archaeology at the University of Montana in 1987.

John began working for the USFS in 1978 first as a survey technician and then he moved into what would be his lifelong passion as an Archaeologist. His work took him to Meeteetse, WY, Foresthill, CA, Reno, NV, Ft. Jones, CA, Dillon, MT, Pocatello, ID, Fortine, MT, Kalispell, MT, Hamilton, MT and finally to Stevensville, MT where he retired in 2008 as a Unit Archaeologist.

In August of 2007 John met Robin Clearman. This meeting became a love story, and they were married on August 17th, 2008. They enjoyed riding, traveling, their many pets, and eventually grandchildren. They both shared a passion for history, and this was often incorporated into their travels. They lived together in Stevensville until 2017 when they moved into Missoula and John developed a passion for golf.

John is survived by his wife Robin, of Missoula and two stepdaughters: Hylarie LeRette, her husband Dustin and their four sons, Derrick, Wyatt, Vincent, and Henry all of Helena and Emily Cambridge, her husband Jared and their two children Morgan and Mia of Yukon, Oklahoma. He is also survived by his mother Betty Hamilton of Missoula, his sister Lisa Hamilton of Portland, OR and his beloved niece Kelly Flynn and her family of St. Louis, MO, his nephew Sean and his family of Portland as well as a handful of cousins and family members. John was preceded in death by his father Donald Hamilton.

A celebration for John's life will be held following the cremation at Christ the King Church at 10:00 am, on September 4th, 2021 with a reception to follow at Bonner Park. In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the Missoula Humane Society or Animeals of Missoula in John's name.