Carmen Adel Hamilton was the only child of Bunn Franklin Fittro and Mary Margaret Fligor, born in Mercy Hospital, Portsmouth, Ohio on February 7, 1949, and departing this life in AdventHealth, Orlando, Florida on May 31, 2023, at the age of 74 years and 113 days. Surviving Carmen are her husband of nearly 54 years, Maurice Lee Hamilton of Mount Dora, Florida, three sons, David Alexander Hamilton of Mount Dora, Florida, Timothy John (T.J.) Hamilton of Viera, Florida, and Kevin Lee Hamilton of Longwood, Florida, along with seven grandsons and three granddaughters. Carmen was a stay-at-home mother while the boys were growing up and became the neighborhood mom known as Mrs. H. to all the boys’ friends in River Run South in Altamonte Springs, Florida. She helped coach the boys’ Little League teams and in recent years enjoyed watching her grandchildren play baseball, softball, football, basketball, and soccer.
Soon after her sons left home, Carmen went to work as a substitute teacher, secretary, and Data Entry Clerk for Seminole County Schools at Bear Lake Elementary School, Apopka, Florida from which she retired in 2014. Carmen was an avid bowler, bowling in several national, regional, state, county, and city tournaments throughout the United States. Her most recent achievements were in 2018 and 2021 when she won first place in the Florida State Seniors Tournaments. Carmen was very competitive and in addition to bowling enjoyed playing golf and several different card games with family and friends. She enjoyed working on puzzles, reading books, and knitting in her spare time. She along with her husband Maurice also enjoyed traveling having traveled to all 50 states and 35 countries outside the United States. She collected hundreds of thimbles during her travels and proudly displayed them in thimble cases in her home.
Carmen was a member of the Sciotoville Church of Christ in Sciotoville, Ohio before moving to Florida and was a member of Journey Christian Church in Apopka, Florida for nearly 43 years upon moving to Florida. Most recently she attended the Lake County Campus of Journey Christian Church after moving to Mount Dora, Florida in 2016. While serving in the church she played piano, taught Sunday School, Bible School, and served as director for several of the children’s musical programs at the church. Among those programs were Noah’s Ark, Angels Aware, and Down by the Creekbank, all great performances. She was currently serving on the Bob Foster Center Committee and the Holiday Decorating Committee at the Country Club of Mount Dora. In addition, she was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a true friend of nearly everyone she met. Her surviving cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, daughters-in-law, nieces, and nephews loved her very much and she will be sadly missed by all who know her.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Lake County Campus of Journey Christian Church, 15733 Dillard Rd, Eustis, FL 32726. A celebration of life is being planned for a later date at the Country Club of Mount Dora. The family requests in lieu of flowers donations be made to Lake County Campus Journey Christian Church or the American Cancer Society.
