Steven Dean Hamilton

When Steve was nineteen years old, he overdosed on an illegal street drug; while in the emergency room, his heart stopped, and he died. At that point he had what is commonly thought of as a near-death experience. He felt he traveled through a tunnel of light and was met by individuals in white robes who told him it was not yet his time to be dead. Steve returned to consciousness, convinced he had been given another chance to live a better life and make a difference, which is what he thereafter attempted. He worked toward the development and responsible use of the natural abilities and intelligence of young people in the public high school of the community for more than two decades. He brought remarkable good cheer and a degree of personal scholarship to the task of educating youth as to the value and application of curiosity in the study of past and present human culture. He measured his success not in awards offered and honors bestowed but the frequency and enthusiasm of former students recalling the time they shared with him in the classroom. As a person committed to living fully, his accomplishments in life as a man known for devotion to family, sharing knowledge and creating works of art, death will triumph only with the inevitable victory of time over the living memories of those whose lives he touched.
Steven Dean was born to George and Jeanette [Holiday] Mundy on the 25th of May 1956 in Des Moines, Iowa. His father died a few years later and his mother proved unable to care for him and his many siblings; he thereafter spent some years in an orphanage and in various foster homes. He was adopted, along with an older brother George, by Robert and Myra [Fitzpatrick] Hamilton. His most pleasant memories of his youth centered on time spent in the company of Elsie Fitzpatrick and her sister Hilda Peterson, and especially John Hamilton, the person who most shared his interest in knowing as much as possible. Through frequent moves, he attended many of the public elementary schools in the community and eventually graduated high school in Burlington, Iowa a half year ahead of schedule. Having been nominated to the West Point Military Academy and joined the Iowa National Guard in the summer of 1973, Steve attended officer training school at Camp Dodge but thereafter chose to enlist in the US Army as a combat engineer in December 1973. While serving in the 2nd Armor Division at Fort Hood, Texas, Steve met and soon married Juanita Louise Harlan, originally of rural Clarke County, Iowa, on the 9th of May 1975. Their union was blessed with three children: Benjamin John Harlan [20 April 1977, Firth, Germany], Amy Marie Louise [24 March 1979, Iowa City, Iowa], and Katherine Michelle Theresa [27 July 1981, Kirksville, Missouri]. He is survived by Juanita, his children, and the greatest joy of his later years, five grandsons: Chase, Colton, Jackson, Cody, and Alexander.
Steve was a graduate of Southeastern Community College with an Associate Arts degree in 1979, Northeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science Education degree in 1982, Lincoln University with a master's degree in 2009, and William Woods University with an Education Specialist degree in 2011. During his working life, he was variously employed as a dishwasher at a hospital, a clerk in a warehouse and retail store, night auditor at a hotel, graduate assistant teaching undergraduate-level history courses, an internship in archival science at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library, and Missouri public school teacher of social sciences in Kansas City, Atlanta and Jefferson City, Missouri. He was involved in many aspects of the school, sponsoring clubs, activities and academic competitions for students and efforts to improve the usefulness of the social studies curriculum. He was a teacher consultant for the National Geographic Society, a member of Phi Alpha Theta, Mensa, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the National Education Association, and a lifelong Democrat.
Unable to overcome the facts of his upbringing, he saw no value in race, money, or power, and never discovered a reason to believe in himself as anything but a pretender in the company of the educated, mannered, and moral. Blessed mostly with a good memory, Steve often failed to discern the difference between knowing and understanding, facts and wisdom, and being versus a state of grace. He loved to read, finding joy in the well-turned phrase and recognition of a kindred spirit among the pages of literary works. Had he more confidence and a better understanding of the mechanic of writing good sentences, he would have been a writer - though he nonetheless did author numerous articles, historical theses, and a little book. Instead of such work, he more often tried to express himself through the perhaps less rigorous visual arts. Neither a good writer nor particularly adept painter, he did spend many a slothful hour thinking about such aesthetics; as such, he must count on others to carry his memory forward into the unknowable future.
While many may remember Steve as a happy, successful person, he was in fact someone chased by demons that led to his failure in many of life's most important things. He too often failed to fully appreciate others, to forgive their all-too common moral failings, and to recognize the limits of his own abilities. He came to humility too late in life and therefore caused a great deal of pain to those he cared about. He had too much pride to be sensible and sometimes to even do what was right. He was a better manager of things than emotions, lacked forbearance in working with others and failed to take responsibility for the consequences of his many hurtful words and harmful deeds. His was a life full of little sins that, in time, took an appalling toll on the value of whatever good he accomplished - too few positives, large or small, measured against the all too numerous negatives. In essence, he failed to live up to his potential for good.
Did he do enough to attain the desire of most people - to be remembered beyond living generations into the future? In a world teeming with billions, few really do significant things worthy of being enshrined in the collective cultural memory. Most simply fade to dust rather too quickly, wondering all the while what, exactly, was the point of it. Steve was typical in that sense; he lived his life well if not wisely, failed to be either Buddha or beatific but, on occasion, did share sufficient insight and glimmerings of understanding as to the nature and meaning of life to give pause to others, and perhaps awaken in their souls a spark of light against encroaching darkness. Despite his intellectual pretensions and spiritual doubts, it can only be hoped he will find yet another adventure awaiting him since his passage from this time and place.
Friends will be received from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at Houser-Millard Funeral Directors.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Hamilton's "Final Homework Assignment" will consist of sharing a written memory of him, as a keepsake of the family. The family will be sharing these stories, in page protectors, for generations to come.
Interment with full military honors will be held privately for the family, at the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Leonard Wood.
Arrangements are under the direction of HOUSER-MILLARD Funeral Directors, 2613 West Main Street, Jefferson City, Missouri 65109 (573) 636-3838. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.millardfamilychapels.com.