James Stewart Hamilton

James “Jim” S. Hamilton, 84, of Elkton, MD, went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Jim was born May 19, 1941, in Darby, PA. He was the firstborn in his family, followed by three sisters whom he loved to tease—always in good fun. As a young man, he faithfully served as the community paperboy for several years. Being a true people person, he knew all the neighbors and could likely tell you just about anything you wanted to know about them.

During his youth, Jim was active in his church and won a “Preacher Boy” contest, advancing to compete at a higher level in Ocean City, NJ. Throughout high school, he was involved in the Word of Life Club. He graduated from Conrad High School in 1959.

Following high school, Jim attended Taylor University in Indiana before transferring to Cedarville College (now Cedarville University) in Ohio. While there, he served as Class Chaplain and was active in the Business Club. He graduated in 1964 with a degree in Business Administration.

After graduation, Jim returned to Delaware and began his career at the JCPenney store at Prices Corner. During that time, Jim also served a tour in the Delaware National Guard. Over the years, Jim built a diverse professional life that took him from Delaware to Maryland, to Kentucky, and back again. His work included retail sales, home sales, and automobile sales. He also volunteered as a tax preparer, which eventually grew into a full-time business providing tax and payroll services for individuals and small businesses from his home office.

Jim later obtained an American Marriage Ministries license and officiated weddings – even for grandkids. No matter what the job, his favorite part was always engaging with people. He never met a stranger and rarely went anywhere without running into someone he knew. When he closed his accounting business in September 2025, what he missed most were the relationships he had built with his clients.

A special joy in Jim’s life was adopting greyhounds. Romy, Princess, and Carly held a special place in his heart.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Eleanor and Stewart Hamilton. He is survived by his beloved wife, Kathee Bruce-Hamilton; his children, Kevin Hamilton (Wendy), Kelly Kehoe (Jamie), Wendy Lang (Mike), Greg Bruce (Maria), and David Bruce (Meg); and his three sisters: Jean Alexander, Joan Cardinale, and Jinnie McBride. Jim also had 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, with a 7th great-grandchild due in July.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life service on Saturday, May 16 at Newark Baptist Church, 6011 Telegraph Road, Elkton, MD 21921. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am, followed by the service at 11:00 am. For those who are unable to attend, a livestream of the service will be available on Newark Baptist Church’s Facebook and YouTube pages. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Newark Baptist Church, P.O. Box 5839, Newark, DE 19714; Greyhound Angels Adoption of New Jersey, 2688 South Black Horse Pike, Monroe, NJ 08094; or Cedarville University: 251 North Main Street, Cedarville, OH 45314.

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