David Hamilton

David Lee Hamilton died peacefully July 28 at his Urbandale home after dealing with numerous health issues. He was 73.

The oldest of three sons of Donald D. and Phyllis A. Armstrong Hamilton, Dave was born in Council Bluffs Jan. 25, 1951. The family lived near Oakland and Griswold until moving to Adair in 1960. Dave graduated from Adair-Casey High School in 1969.

Dave had a wonderful singing voice and was active in musical groups in high school. As a junior, he was cast in the role of rock-and-roll idol Conrad Birdie in the school’s production of “Bye, Bye, Birdie.” He also sang and played rhythm guitar in a popular local rock band, “The Gentlemen Wild.” As an adult, he continued sharing his gift as a frequent vocalist at Central Community Church in Urbandale, where he had been a member since 1978.

Dave briefly attended Northwest Missouri State College before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1971. He was first stationed on the USS Sperry (AS-12) at Naval Submarine Base Point Loma in San Diego, Calif. before being transferred to EPDOPAC, first at NAS North Island, then in New Orleans. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in June 1976. Dave was always extremely proud to have been a veteran.

Dave married Margery Ann Miller on Aug. 26, 1972. They began their married life in Coronado, Calif., and moved back to Iowa in 1977, settling in Urbandale. There, Dave began a long career in concrete construction, first working for Van Houten Concrete Co. and then founding his own company, Dave Hamilton Concrete, in 1985. He was known to many of his construction associates as “Hogbody.”

After closing his company to “retire” in 2020, Dave was employed by JT Concrete and The Concrete Co. Dave loved his work, and he supervised a new generation in the craft of concrete finishing until three days before his death.

He looked forward to relaxing in his living room recliner at the end of each day. He was an avid Iowa State Cyclones fan and attended many football games with his brother, Marc. While he regularly met for breakfast at the Corner Café in Urbandale with his friends and colleagues, he could – and often did – strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. He loved traveling to San Diego, Calif. and La Crosse, Wisc. to visit his children and grandchildren.

Preceding Dave in death were his parents; his parents-in-law, Fred and Clara Miller; and his brother-in-law, Robert Miller.

Dave is survived by his wife of 52 years, Margery “Margie”; a son, Lieutenant Commander Andrew Hamilton, USN (Andrea) of El Cajon, Calif.; a daughter, Jill Parker (Rob) of La Crosse, Wisc.; and four grandchildren, Colton, Finley and Jaxson Hamilton and Eleanor “Nori” Parker.

Additional survivors include two brothers, Jeffery Hamilton (Estrelita) of California and Marc Hamilton (Mischelle) of Van Meter; and three sisters-in-law, Marilyn Cervenka (Ken) of Fairfax, Va., Jane Schorer Meisner (Joe Meisner) of Urbandale, and Sheryl Miller of Adair.

Dave is also survived by nephews Taylor Hamilton (Jessica), Devin Hamilton (Megan), and Tommy Schorer (Kari); and nieces, Megan Schorer, Jenny Flores (Jerry), Becca Hamilton and Vanessa Ten Donkelaar Warris (Sander), and their families.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024 at Central Community Church, 8105 Douglas Ave., Urbandale. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 8, at Lutheran Church of Hope, 925 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines. A luncheon will follow. A Private interment will be at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Van Meter. Memorials may be made to the family to direct to causes important to Dave.