Lawrence Hamilton

Lawrence L. “Larry” Hamilton, Sr., 79, of St. Joseph, passed away, Wednesday, October 04, 2017 at his home.  A Celebration of Life visitation will be held Sunday, October 8, 2017 from 2:00 until 5:00 P.M. at Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to Gateway.  Those wishing to sign Larry’s Memory Book online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.  Larry was born May 6, 1938 in Michigan City to LeRoy & Mary (Rampage) Hamilton. He graduated from New Buffalo High School, Class of 1957.  On September 2, 1961, he married the former Clara Rudlaff in Berrien Springs.  Larry owned and operated Stevensville Small Engine for more than 30 years until his retirement in 2002.  On September 10, 2016, he married the former Nancy Kelley Tripp in St. Joseph.  Larry enjoyed tending to his yard, feeding & watching the birds & squirrels, and tinkering on the neighbor’s mowers.  He enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren.  He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother & friend.  Larry is survived by his wife Nancy; his children-Lawrence (Pepsi Jacobs) Hamilton, Jr. of Niles, Laura Cupples of Baroda, MI, Linda (James) Thurber of Grand Rapids; step-son Andy (Annie Schoor-Stanczak) Tripp of Kenosha, WI; step-daughter-Kristine (John) West of Grand Rapids; fourteen grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two sisters-Rosemary “Rosie” Gerard & Veronica “Roni” Clark, both of Spokane, WA; two brothers-Theodore Hamilton of Comstock Park, MI, Patrick (Helen) Hamilton of Portland, OR; his brother-in-law Norbert Losiniecki of Baroda, numerous nieces & nephews; and a close friend Tonda DeSenzio of St. Joseph.  He was preceded in death by his first wife Clara on February 22, 2012, his step son Ernest Tripp in 2004, two sisters-Irma Losiniecki & Kathleen Loveland and his brother Walter “Butch” Hamilton.