JARS v50n2 - In Memoriam: Fred R. Hamilton, Sr.

In Memoriam: Fred R. Hamilton, Sr.

On Feb. 8, 1996, Fred R. Hamilton, Sr., passed away at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. He was 82 years old. He is survived by a son, Russell Hamilton of Atlanta, and four grandchildren.

Mr. Hamilton worked for Sears for 38 years, retiring in 1974. He also had a long career in horticulture. He and his late wife Hazel began growing rhododendrons in 1952. When they bought a mountain getaway in Towns County, Ga., they began developing hybrids which eventually were donated to the county. More than 1,000 plants were incorporated in what is now known as Hamilton Gardens.

Mr. Hamilton was a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and in addition to his membership in the American Rhododendron Society he was a member of the Royal Horticultural Society.