Col Hamilton ‘touched the hearts and lives of so many people’

The much-loved hockey stalwart, 92, will be farewelled at a service on Friday. Read about the lasting impression he left on so many here.

Many beautiful words have been written in tributes for Col Hamilton OAM but the most common are “true gentleman”.

In a nod to the regard in which he was held, many of the poignant messages also refer to him as “Mr Hamilton”.

A devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Mr Hamilton passed away peacefully on June 8 with his family by his side. He was 92.

He is survived by Ruth, his wife of 66 years, children Diane and David, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Mr Hamilton was involved in Rockhampton hockey for about 65 years and was a figurehead at the Park Avenue Brothers club.

A keen player in his youth, he encouraged his two children to join Park Avenue when they were eight.

He coached from 1969 until 1996 and came out of ‘retirement’ in 1999 to help foster junior coaches.

Good friend and former Park Avenue executive Marie Sweeney OAM recalls that Mr Hamilton’s knowledge and strong approach to discipline gained respect from the players and admiration from other coaches.

He was club president from 1971 to 1973 and vice-president for several years, and was awarded life membership in 1980.

Mr Hamilton was club patron from 2013 to 2020.

In a salute to their beloved patron, players aged from 15 to 59 came together in 2018 as Team Hamilton, going on to win the A3 premiership.

Mrs Sweeney said Mr Hamilton was always the ‘go-to’ person for advice and guidance, and he had a special bond with all those he mentored, in particular the members of the first under-8 boys team that he coached.

She described him as a true hockey person who helped make the club what it is today.

Mrs Sweeney, when recommending Mr Hamilton’s nomination for an OAM which he would receive in 2012, wrote: “He is an unassuming being who is always willing to help when needed.”

Mr Hamilton was also Rockhampton’s unofficial sporting historian.

For more than 50 years, he painstakingly pieced together and precisely indexed an extensive collection of newspaper articles, photographs, letters and commentary in 300 scrapbooks.

Col Hamilton with then Rockhampton Regional Councillor Rose Swadling when he donated his extensive sporting collection to the Rockhampton Library History Centre in 2016.

While the collection was predominantly about the local hockey scene, it also featured cricket, boxing, cycling and articles on the Olympic Games.

Mr Hamilton donated it to the Rockhampton Library History Centre in 2016.

Barb Knowles, a long-serving president of the Rockhampton Hockey Association of which Mr Hamilton was also a life member, acknowledged his generosity and his genuine love of the game.

She said while he had his own allegiances, he was interested in the fortunes of every player and every club.

“There are always people who leave a lasting impression on their chosen sport, both within the sport itself and also upon its members, and Col Hamilton was indeed one of such stalwarts for the game of hockey in Rockhampton,” she said.

Col Hamilton with Rockhampton-born Kookaburras’ legend Mark Knowles.

“He was a quietly spoken true gentleman who followed with interest the progress of all players at every level and from every club.

“Col lived a long and meaningful life and certainly touched the hearts and lives of so many people with his never-ending generosity, giving to others with actions, deeds and donations.

“The great loss to his family and friends will also be shared by the Rockhampton Hockey Association community.”

Mr Hamilton’s funeral will be held at the East Chapel Rockhampton Crematorium at 11am Friday.

Those attending, if members of a sporting club, are asked to wear their club shirts.