Susan Kirk Hamilton

Susan Kirk Hamilton died on July 13, 2022 at Transitions LifeCare in Raleigh. She was born on November 27, 1943 in Chicago to James Edgar Kirk of Farmville, N.C. and Phyllis Sue Troughton of Chicago. On her birth date, Susan’s father was serving with the Army Air Force in New Guinea.

She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Alfred Thompson Hamilton Jr.; children, Katherine Charlebois and husband Wynn of Charlotte and Alfred Hamilton III and wife Braden of Charlotte; brother, Carey Kirk and spouse Tom Spiegel of Annapolis, Md.; sister, Grig Murdock and husband Tom of Charlotte.

She is also survived by her four treasured grandchildren, all of Charlotte: Davis Alfred Hamilton, Mary Thompson Charlebois, Fenley O’Brien Hamilton and Eileen Hamilton Charlebois.

Those who write obituaries often search for special qualities in their lost one. It is not difficult with Susan. She had an almost mystical belief in the goodness in everyone and resisted the negative at every turn. She always loved the underdog, avoided criticism of others and insisted on believing the best until the last out. She was beautiful and unusual. We know of no one quite like her.

Susan attended Needham Broughton High School in Raleigh and completed the Woman’s College (UNC-Greensboro) Commercial Course in 1963. After her marriage in 1966, the Hamilton couple traveled separately to Yokosuka, Japan as her husband began Navy service. Alfred went to sea immediately.

Before their reunion months later in Japan, Susan on her own had found a home in a small Japanese community 11 miles from the Naval Base, made many friends, bought the only hotshot sports car the couple would ever own and found excellent employment on the Naval Base. It was a fabulous beginning to her two years in Japan, a unique achievement on her own, and on the other side of the world.

After four years of Navy active duty, her husband earned a Master’s degree in newspaper journalism at Syracuse University in 1971. Susan’s family, now with children born in Japan and Syracuse, moved to Greensboro, N.C. where Alfred worked for the Greensboro News Company.

Susan was especially active in the Greensboro Junior League, where she was costume chairman for the League Follies and assisted in marketing the highly successful Out of Our League cookbook. She was also a dedicated member of First Presbyterian Church.

Susan was a member of the Greensboro Country Club and Sherwood Swim & Racquet Club. She was also a proud member of the Page Pirates Dirty Dozen, an obnoxious fan club. Susan and Alfred happily reared daughter Katie and son Alfred III in a wonderful hometown for the children.

In 1991, Alfred began work on Chicago’s North Side with Recycled Paper Greetings, an innovative greeting card company. Living in graceful Lincoln Park, including seven years in the landmark Barry apartment building, Susan made a welcoming home in one of the world’s most fascinating cities.

She became very active in the city’s Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue, where she regularly taught in the longstanding Cabrini-Green Tutoring Program. She also worked at the church in its Senior Living Program and was honored by the church for her service.

Susan and Alfred returned to Raleigh in 2000, where Alfred began a partnership with Richard L. (Mike) Hoyt in Hoyt-Hamilton LLC, a marketing communications firm. Susan rejoined White Memorial Presbyterian Church, where she had been married. The Hamiltons lived for 20 years in North Raleigh’s Stafford community.

A memorial service will be held at White Memorial Presbyterian Church on Thursday July 21 at 2:30 pm. The family will receive friends following the service in the Jane Bell Gathering Space. Prior to the service, a private burial will be conducted in the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery.

The family offers thanks to the heroic memory care personnel in Villa C at The Reserve at Mills Farm in Apex, who watched over Susan for the past year.

The family respectfully requests that any memorials be directed to Transitions/LifeCare, 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 (https://www.transitionslifecare.org/donate/). We will always be deeply grateful for the gentle care given to Susan in her closing days.

Services provided by Brown-Wynne, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh.