Paul David Hamilton

November 7, 1950 — September 23, 2025

Pleasanton

Paul David Hamilton passed away at his home on the family farm outside of Pleasanton, Kansas on September 23, 2025. Paul was born to David and Dora Hamilton on November 7, 1950 in Fort Scott, Kansas and was their only son.

Paul is survived by his children Aubin Skipper (husband BJ), Alison Hamilton, and Adam Hamilton (wife Ashley) and 13 grandchildren: Zoe Johnson (Noah), Malachi Vann, Judah Skipper (Bailey), Shiloh Skipper, Talan Hamilton, Olive Skipper, Willow Skipper, Renner Hamilton, Freely Skipper, Jazelle Hamilton, Arrow Skipper, Nile Hamilton, and Lakyn Hamilton. He is also survived by his doting older sister, Linda Thomas, two nephews, Jeff (Jenny) and Rob, two great nieces, Katie and Sara, and his dog, Scooter.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, an older sister, Jane, a brother-in-law, David Thomas, and his very best friends, Danny Snow and Donnie Snow.

His children cannot count how many times he cheated death and are grateful beyond words for the gift of time and extra years they were given with him. They will remember him as an authentic, kind, slightly hot-tempered, loving, non-judgemental, one-of-a-kind man who preferred to just stay “in the shadows”, as his grandson recently said about him upon his death.

He loved his farm, Harley Davidson motorcycles, creating, building, tinkering, and inventing, Marlboro Reds, Coke in a can, his mom’s potato rolls, his grandma’s bran muffins, refrigerated Hershey Kisses, fried bologna sandwiches with mustard, Koehn’s pecan cinnamon rolls, cherry cheesecake from Jr. Walley and his wife, and oyster stuffing. He enjoyed spending time with his amazing friends, Dave Farley, Jerry Heiser, Kenny Rookstool, Ray Staton, Barry Limpus, and many others. He hated winters and being cold and it seems fitting that he died at the very end of summer.

Above all, he loved his kids and grandkids more than anything, as evidenced by the ball games, birthday parties, holidays, and events of theirs he attended. He enjoyed sitting on the back deck and smoking a cigarette and got so much joy from watching his grandkids fish, kayak, and swim in the pond (even though it made him nervous). He got a kick out of seeing his grandkids come trick-or-treating at Halloween and always had a big bowl of candy for them. His last trip was to Lynchburg, Virginia, for his granddaughter’s wedding, where all of the family was together and he told a friend he was “just about perfect”.

He was a man of few words and yet had a larger-than-life presence. He would give his kids a really hard time if he knew how many words they used to describe him and capture his life. He carried a heavy load from the experiences life brought him and his kids are thankful that load has been lifted, the cane thrown away, and he can be at peace. They will love him, miss him, remember him, and ache for more time with him the rest of their days.

Paul graduated from Pleasanton High School in 1968. He worked the wheat harvest the summer after graduation but left early because the 1968 Plymouth GTX he ordered had arrived. He then attended Beloit Technical College and studied heavy equipment operating.

Knowing he had an impending draft to the war, he and his best friend, Danny Snow, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on March 11, 1969 and went to boot camp together. He served as an O331 Machine Gunner in Vietnam. Corporal Hamilton was released from active duty on November 2, 1971. He was recommended for reenlistment and his good conduct was noted.

His military honors include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, and Sharpshooter Rifle Badge.

He was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V”: “For meritorious service while serving as a Machine Gun Squad Leader with Company D, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam from 21 July 1970 to 30 April 1971. Throughout this period, Corporal Hamilton performed his duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner. Participating in several major combat operations, including Operations Upshur Stream and Hoang Dieu, as well as numerous patrols and ambushes, he repeatedly distinguished himself by his courage and composure under fire. Particularly noteworthy were his actions on 7 December 1970, during an operation in the Charlie Ridge area of Quang Nam Province, when several Marines were seriously wounded by fragments of detonated antipersonnel mines. Simultaneously, enemy snipers began firing on the Marine unit. Reacting instantly and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Corporal Hamilton led his men across the fire-swept terrain to a more suitable position, and directed the delivery of a heavy volume of machine gun fire on the enemy, which silenced the hostile guns and enabled the wounded to be safely and quickly evacuated. As a result of his diligent and resourceful efforts throughout his tour in the Republic of Vietnam, the operational effectiveness of his unit was greatly enhanced. By his initiative, superb professionalism, and loyal devotion to duty, Corporal Hamilton earned the respect of all who served with him and upheld the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service.”

One good memory from the war was when he was given five days of R & R after he was selected as “Regimental Marine of the Week”. He got off the bus outside of Da Nang because the bus wasn’t going to the base and he was walking down the road and a Jeep drove by and it was Danny driving his Colonel around. He stopped and Danny said “I know that guy, he’s from my hometown–pick him up.” They picked him up and took him to where he needed to be.

Upon his arrival home from Vietnam, he married his high school sweetheart, Debi Dunavan, on May 14, 1971, and she is the mother of his children. They began their life at Camp Pendleton, California, but after being promised two weeks of leave, he took the leave and they moved to Quantico, Virginia. They made a quick stop in Kansas along the way. They left Virginia in November of 1971 and moved back home to Kansas to the family farm. They were married for 26 years.

Paul would be considered a jack of all trades and had many jobs in life, most of them being businesses he started. They include a Big-A sprayer hired to spray fields, Trash Removal Service, Midwest Movers, EZ Come EZ Go, P & D Bonding, and the Pawn Shop. He also got the bid to cut apart the P & M Queen dragline and scrap it. He worked for SIR LLC for Greg Gentry and erected billboard signs across the midwest and east coast and he was the District 2 shop mechanic for the Linn County Highway Department in Pleasanton.

He retired to the farm to live out the rest of his days where he spent time checking cows, building barns, clearing brush, mowing, and his final project was another agriculture barn with feeding capabilities and roller-mixer. He built the bridge that goes across the creek to get access to the land where he built his house and dock overlooking the pond.

He was always inventing, creating, building and ALWAYS had a project he was working on. Some of his projects include making a sod cutter, a V8 motorcycle he named the “Octagon”, a motorized red wagon purchased by Miranda Lambert, a custom Harley-powered golf cart with Micky Thompson 50/50’s, a motorized surfboard, a handicap accessible custom trike, and many, many custom motorcycles. One of his first projects was building a bicycle with a banana seat and high handlebars for his best friend Danny’s little brother, Donnie, who would become Paul’s best friend after Danny’s death.

He attended many bike rallies, from Sturgis to Perry. He always had a dog in his lap, no matter the dog (Pepper, Susie, Leroy, Hoss, Bandit, & Scooter). He made sure his dogs ate as well as he did, whether it was a double cheeseburger from Sonic or prime rib from Montrose.

Paul was a respected and admired man in his community and to everyone who knew him. He asked, “If you got anything you can remember about this guy that was good, think about it and keep it to yourself. Go on down the road. If you got anything you don’t like about him, he’s terribly sorry”.

Military Honors will be held 4 p.m. Friday, October 3, 2025, at the Schneider Funeral Home Pleasanton Chapel. Visitation will be held from 4:15 p.m. until 7 p.m. following the military honors. A memorial ride will be held Saturday, October 4. Gather at the Hamilton Farm, 25581 KS Hwy 52, Pleasanton, KS, at 12 noon. Kickstands up at 1 p.m.. A Celebration of Life will be held 4 p.m. Saturday, October 4. at the Hamilton Farm. Memorial contributions can be made to the Paul Hamilton Memorial or Warrior Tribe Foundation. Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com

(Published in the Linn County Journal on Septembr 26, 2025.)