Rev. Glenn A. Hamilton

Rev. Glenn Hamilton,  beloved community pastor

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. — Rev. Glenn A. Hamilton, 97, formerly of Duke Center, Pa., went to be with the Lord on Sunday (June 4, 2017) at the Arbor Manor Rehab Center, following a brief illness.
Born Jan. 20, 1920, in Bradford, Pa., he was a son of Arthur T. and Mabel Barkas Hamilton. On March 3, 1942, in the home of the bride, he married Helen M. Null, who preceded him in death on June 21, 2015.
He was a 1938 graduate of Bradford High School and later attended Houghton (N.Y.) College and Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y. He completed a four-year course of study, as prescribed by the Free Methodist Church, was ordained a deacon of the Oil City (Pa.) Conference of the Free Methodist Church in 1943 and was ordained as an elder in 1945.  
Rev. Hamilton served as a pastor in the Free Methodist Church since 1940, beginning in Ridgeway, then Ulysses, Sheffield and Cherry Grove, Renovo, Penfield, Mill Run, Gardner Hill, Galeton, Coudersport, Duke Center and Cyclone, all in Pennsylvania. Most recently he had been pastor emeritus at the Lighthouse Community Free Methodist Church in Prentisvale, Pa., prior to its closing.
As a teenager, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout in Troop 47 in Sawyer City, Pa. He was a past Sunday School teacher, treasurer of the conference Board of Christian Education, a trustee of the Highlander Christian Camp in Kane, Pa., and, along with his wife, served on the Otto-Eldred (Pa.) Food Mission for many years. He was a past Bradford District Director of Christian Education. He served faithfully as a chaplain in area hospitals and officiated at hundreds of funerals in the community.
Surviving are two daughters, Ruth (Burt) Jones of North Chili, N.Y., and Darlene (Mel) O’Connor of Rogers, Ark.; a son, David (Carolee) Hamilton of Concord, Mich.; three grandchildren, Mark (Amy) Hamilton, Laura (Pete) Wagner and Kevin O’Connor; and seven great-grandchildren, Ian, Elena, Skylar, Justin, Oscar, Owen and Lucas. In 1965, Glenn and Helen added five more children to their family, surviving are Gary Lohiser of Duke Center, Pa., Bryan and Linda Lohiser of Spring Arbor, and Loretta (Don) Christopherson of Chelsea, Mich. He is also survived by four “adopted” granddaughters, Mariela (Ivan) Rodriguez Cordero and their children Eric, Adam and Javier; Jeri-Ann (John) Simora and their children Justin, Jacob, Josie and Jonas; Tracey (David) Schrems and their son Cody; and Linda Wasson.
In addition to his wife of 73 years, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Elizabeth Lohiser in 2012; a grandson, Matthew Jones in 2005; a brother, Thomas Hamilton in 2010; and a sister, Hazel Newton in 2006.
Friends may call Friday at the First Church of God, Eldred, Pa., from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and again on Saturday (June 10, 2017) from 10  to 11 a.m., after which time funeral services will be held with Rev. Chris Hill officiating. Other ministers participating are Rev. Beth Rosler, Rev. Robert Brest and Rev. Jim Kazimer, pastor of the First Church of God, Eldred.  Burial will follow in Lamphier Cemetery in Eldred.
A memorial service will also be held in the Spring Arbor Free Methodist Church in Spring Arbor, with visitation at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m. Tuesday (June 20, 2017.)
Those who wish to contribute to memorials should direct their gifts to Highlander Christian Camp, Kane, PA. or Hope Africa University in Burundi, Africa.

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