Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton, 79, of Oakland, MD, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, December 16, 2023, after a lengthy battle with congestive heart failure.

Rick was born on April 2, 1944, in Kokomo, Indiana to Barbara and Richard Hamilton. Although he was a day too late to be an April Fool's baby, he filled his life with laughter, jokes, and pranks. His quick wit and humor are only a small portion of the rich legacy he left his family. Even in his last days, he reveled in teasing his nurses and caregivers, earning himself a reputation as a real rascal.

After a 2 year stint in Vietnam, Rick raced cars at his beloved Bunker Hill Dragstrip in Indiana. He amassed countless trophies in Mr. Snoopy, his red 1955 Chevy. His greatest racing achievement, however, would come with a 1970 NHRA Drag Racing title earned at Indianapolis Raceway Park in his 1969 Super Stock AMX, a car once referred to as a scud missile in a beer can. Rick left the racing world in the early 70's, giving away all but a handful of his tall, glimmering trophies to the delight of local kids.

Well known for his encyclopedic knowledge of all things automotive, Rick found success as a mechanic and auto parts salesperson for many years in and around the Oakland area. He supported his family for years with his side job of rebuilding transmissions and carburetors, a business that kept him consistently busy despite only being word of mouth. Some of his finest rebuilt transmissions could be found under the hoods of demolition derby cars, often outlasting the competition and the car itself.

Rick was immensely proud of his children: Ricky, Allison, Christie, Bobby, AunDrea, and Tabitha, and bragged about them often. He loved seeing his kids, who had inherited his work ethic, humor, and kindness, build their lives and become respected members of their communities. Their tempers and bullheadedness, he would have argued, had to have come from their mothers.

He is survived by his sister, Sherry (husband, Ron), who loved him fiercely, his niece, Krista Lee (Elkhart, IN.), his Hoosier family, the Delp family, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, many special friends, and his diabetic cat, Snickers.

Rick was preceded in death by his parents, his uncle, John Delp, and his nephew, Brad Kochersperger.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Buczinski, Melinda Stoner, and the ICU staff at GRMC for their exemplary care, and the Cardiovascular Intensive Care team at Ruby who went above and beyond to ensure Rick could be surrounded by compassion, love, and peace as he transitioned from this life.

A celebration of life is being planned for April 2024.

The C & S Fredlock Funeral Home, P.A., Oakland is honored to be caring for the Hamilton family.