Delbert "Del" Hamilton, 82, Waddington

WADDINGTON - Delbert “Del” Hamilton, age 82, of 7 Maple Street, Waddington, formerly of Blind Bay in Hammond, passed peacefully on Wednesday afternoon, November 27, 2024, surrounded by the love of family and under the care of Hospice. Born in Alexandria Bay on July 16, 1942, to Jay and Gertrude (Haas) Hamilton he was named for his grandfather, Delbert Haas, the first president of the Uncle Sam Combined Boat Tours. His family moved to Utica, NY, where he was educated in local schools, graduating from Saint Francis DeSales High School in 1960.

Following a brief attendance at St Andrew’s Catholic Seminary in Rochester, he attended the Utica campus of Syracuse University. In September 1962 he enlisted in the Navy and was stationed at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base, spending time aboard the U.S.S. Conserver. Following his discharge in 1966, he remained in Hawaii for another 25 years working primarily in the banking industry in Kailua and Honolulu, Oahu, first as a bank manager for Hawaiian Federal Savings and Loan and then as a mortgage broker for United Mortgage.

During that time, he married the late Barbara Rehkemper of Kahaluʻu, Oahu and raised a family in Kailua, Oahu. In 1991 he moved back to the river he loved and settled on the St. Lawrence in Blind Bay, Hammond. At a real estate class in Watertown that year he met his soulmate, Mary (Badlam) Rutherford of Waddington. They were married in 1993 on the decks of their year-round home facing the river in a Hawaiian luau style wedding. During his 30+ years in Blind Bay he was affectionately known as the “mayor” by the seasonal residents of the area.

He was an avid fisherman and could often be seen in his white Tilley hat leaving Blind Bay in his fishing boat with his golden labs, Babe and Prince, headed for his favorite fishing spot across the river in Jones Creek, Ontario. He loved nature and the wildlife that populated the area.

He was determined to do his best to make his part of the world a better place. He spent over 25 years working on the connectivity of the area between Chippewa Bay and Blind Bay. With the help of many community members and a grant from Ducks Unlimited, his hard work came to fruition when channels were dredged and pipes installed, allowing the water to once again flow freely into Blind Bay. Del had an uncanny ability to “paint pictures with words” and his stories were memorable as was his sense of humor and desire to make you laugh, which remained with him until the end.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Mary Hamilton; his sons, Christopher (Kate) Hamilton, Yellow Springs, OH; Shawn Hamilton and companion Jennifer Hays, Dayton, OH; step-sons, Ian Rutherford, Waddington, NY and Matthew (Leslie) Rutherford, Waddington, NY; grandchildren: Zoe, Justin and Alexander Hamilton, Gabriel and Ava Rutherford; two brothers-in-laws: George Fanelli, Utica, NY and Rod Dundorf, Shrewsbury, MA; cousins: Catherine Read (David) Farmington, NY and Marie Murphy, Mesa, AZ, along with several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents and former wife, Barbara, he was predeceased by his sisters, Anita Fanelli and Joan Dundorf, and brother-in-law, Mickey Crosby. Del was very fortunate to have the love and support of all of Mary’s siblings: Nancy, Patty, Kathy, Rob, Jeanie, Peggy, Michael (Bucky), and Frank (Dee), especially during the last year.

Burial and a Celebration of Del’s Life will take place in the spring. Family and friends are encouraged to share memories, photos and condolences online by visiting www.PhillipsMemorial.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites memorial contributions in Del’s memory to the Hammond Food Pantry, P.O. Box 193, Hammond, NY, 13646 or the Waddington Historical Association, P.O. Box 221, Waddington, NY, 13694.