Eric "Ric" Andrew Hamilton

Eric “Ric” Andrew Hamilton, 72, left this world to be reunited with the love of his life on November 5, 2023.

His services will be held at 1 pm Saturday, December 9 at O’Connor Memorial Chapel, with private interment to follow.

Ric was born on March 8, 1951, to Robert and Dorothy Hamilton in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio. He graduated high school and joined the U.S. Coast Guard. After leaving the Coast Guard, Ric held a variety of jobs, from which he entertained his friends and family with stories for his whole life. He worked as a ranch hand in Kaycee, WY, with Chris LeDoux’s brother; as a professor at University of Montana Western in Dillon; as a principal at Heart Butte High School; and as a civilian leader for the Air Force. He retired as Deputy Director of the Force Support Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Upon retirement, he planned to spend many years enjoying every day with the love of his life, Tracey Palombi. The two of them were a remarkable couple, and they truly lived life to the fullest when together. They loved fishing, hunting, gardening, and cooking together. Unfortunately, Tracey was taken too soon, which left Ric with a broken heart that would never quite heal.

Ric was a kind and generous man, and if you were part of his small circle of friends and family, you knew it completely. If you weren’t, well, you knew that too. He was passionate about many things, and when he decided to take on a new endeavor, whether it was a friendship, a hobby, or a responsibility, he did so with his whole heart and spirit. He was a genuinely entertaining storyteller and his closest friends never even complained when he told the same stories multiple times. He could always be counted on for a joke when you talked to him, too.

Ric is survived by his brother, Jon Hamilton and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his true love, Tracey Palombi; his parents; and a sister, Ellen.