CANTON, Ga. — John Rayford Hamilton, 50, died Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017. John was born Aug. 8, 1967, at Cape Fear Memorial Hospital, in Wilmington, N.C.
His first home was at Wrightsville Beach, next to the pier that his grandparents, Johnnie and Wanda Mercer, built. John was in the Atlantic Ocean swimming before he could walk. John attended New Hanover High School, as did his parents. He spent much of his adult life living in Cherokee County, Ga.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Johnnie and Wanda Mercer of Wilmington, N.C., and Thomas Rayford and Ida Hamilton of Smithfield, N.C.; and his auntie, Wanda Mercer Gore of Wilmington, N.C.
John is survived by his children, Stephanie Hamilton Minix of Peachtree City, Ga., and Johnnie Hamilton of Wilmington, N.C.; mother, Esther Mercer Cronan, and her husband, Mike, of Cumming, Ga.; father, Bill Hamilton, and his wife, Lois, of Punta Gorda, Fla.; sisters, Melissa (Bobby) Puppa of Milton, Ga., and Kelsey Hamilton of Chattanooga, Tenn.; grandchildren, Adelyn and Maverick of Peachtree City, Ga.; nephew, Sullivan of Milton, Ga.; and cousin, Wanda DeBono of Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3, at Cherokee Christian Fellowship, 207 Marvin Land Lane, Canton, Ga. The family will receive friends at the church from noon until the service hour. A memorial service in Wilmington, N.C., will be announced at a later date.
Special thanks to Katie Guess of Plano, Texas, for the amazing job she has done in creating the photo presentation of John.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Friends to the Forlorn Pitbull Rescue Inc.
Arrangements by Scott Huskins Funeral & Cremation Services, Canton, Ga.
