William J. “Bill” Hamilton III, affectionately known to his family as “Poppy”, age, 76, of Gautier, MS passed away on Sunday June 23, 2024. Bill was born on April 15, 1948 to his parents, William J. Hamilton and Wanda (Hamilton) Herron in Pensacola, FL. He graduated from Escambia High School in 1966.
Bill retired from Huntington-Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula after 40 years of service. He worked as an electrician, and an electrical foreman after completing Ingalls’ apprenticeship program.
Always wanting to give back to his community, Bill spent most of his adult life involved in various youth programs. For more than a decade, he was known to many as “Coach Bill” because he spent most of his evenings at the Pascagoula Dixie Youth baseball field or coaching Pee-Wee football. He loved his boys and worked hard to teach them not only the sport but most of all sportsmanship. For more than the last two decades, he has been a big support for the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. He served as Grand Assembly of Mississippi’s “Rainbow Dad” several times and has been serving as the State Rainbow Grandad for the last several years. He loved nothing more than building things for, hauling things to, or being part of all things rainbow. Those girls held a special place in his heart. His love for the youth of today was shown in all that he did, and many lives were touched by his great big heart to give and serve.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William Hamilton and Wanda (Hamilton) Herron and a brother Frankie Hamilton. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, LaDonna Nowell Hamilton; daughter, Renee’ and her husband James Williams, daughter Jennifer and her husband Larry Hall, son William “Billy” Hamilton and his wife Michelle, grandchildren Cody Grier, Logan Grier, Matthew Hall, Emily Hall, Evan Hall, Garett Hamilton and Wesley Hamilton, brothers Joe Hamilton and Pat Hamilton-Croci, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and many great friends.
A Celebration of Life will take place on Sunday, July 28th from 1pm to 3pm at Fontainebleau Community Center located at 3905 MS-57, Ocean Springs, MS 39564. In lieu of flowers, please donate in his memory to Wounded Minutemen of Mississippi www.woundedminitemen.org.
The family would like to express their extreme gratitude for all the thoughts, prayers, kind words and support offered by so many during Bill’s battle with cancer. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
