Thomas James Hamilton

Tom was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on October 23, 1949 to Warren Harding Hamilton and Constance Mary Harris Hamilton.

Tom spent his first five years on the family farm on the northeast side of Lake Winnebago. The family moved to Santa Barbara, California, in 1954 where Tom began kindergarten. His father took a position with the United States Department of Agriculture and the family lived in Bakersfield, California for a few years before transferring to Twin Falls. Because of Warren’s work- related illness and hospitalization, Tom, his mother and younger brother lived for periods of time in Twin Falls, Novato, California and Santa Barbara, California. While in Twin Falls, Tom attended Lincoln and Bickel Schools through sixth grade, the Lutheran School in seventh and eighth grade, the newly opened Robert Stuart Junior for ninth grade and then graduated from Twin Falls High School in 1967. After high school, Tom attended the College of Southern Idaho in its inaugural years, the University of Arizona for a short time and then received his Bachelors degree from Idaho State University in 1972 and an MBA from ISU the following year.

Tom returned to Twin Falls and worked as a long term substitute at O’Leary Junior High for a year. He then spent a few years at the Internal Revenue Service before starting his own CPA practice. He became a professor at the College of Southern Idaho in 1982 where he taught accounting, statistics and business law for 31 years. His declining health compelled him to retire in 2013. He looked forward to enjoying time with friends and extended family and making regular use of his newly acquired motor home.

While Tom had significant physical disabilities throughout his life, those limitations did not prevent him from helping others both in the classroom and in the community. Several hundred children, now adults, learned basic basketball skills and played on championship teams guided by “Coach Hamilton” despite the fact that Tom never had the physical ability to participate in a single sporting event in his entire life. He helped several local charities with their bookkeeping, hosted a number of foreign students in his home and often tutored students for free, demanding only that students give their best efforts to learn the material. He ran a successful accounting practice throughout much of his time at CSI, often providing his services at reduced or no cost. Tom had a great love of animals and willingly took in stray or abandoned dogs and cats and could often been seen throughout the Twin Falls area walking his beloved German Shepherds in the evening.

Tom considered himself very fortunate to have several great friends in his life, especially those who so willingly helped him over the last few years when he found it increasingly difficult handle many physical challenges. He was especially thankful for the friendship and kindness of his special friend Polly Barker; long-time close friend and colleague, Randy Berriochoa; his “helpers” Josh Hunt and Trey Mohammed; long-time neighbors and friends Bob and Colleen Tickner; and his cousins Bob Buch (Marcy) of Anchorage, Alaska and Steve Buch (Jane) of Seymour, Wisconsin.

His parents, Warren and Connie, preceded him in death. Tom is survived his brother David Hamilton (Sandi) of Newhall, California, nephew Matthew Hamilton (Maryann) and their children, Kimberlee and Jonathan of Idaho Falls and nephew, Benjamin Hamilton (Paola) and their children Micaela, Shawn, Isabella and Jacob of Houston, Texas.

A celebration of Tom’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 11, 2014 at White Mortuary, 136 Fourth Ave. E. in Twin Falls. Services are under the direction of White Mortuary, Twin Falls.

Condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.whitemortuary.com.