Obituary: Todd Condell Hamilton

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Todd Condell Hamilton Sr., retired missionary and pastor, died Dec. 17 in Houston. He was 96. He was born Oct. 11, 1928, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Perry E. Hamilton and Adeline Condell Hamilton. He attended Baylor University, where he met his future wife, Doris Winn Hamilton. He later went on to earn a doctorate in education from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He spent the first 15 years of his ministry serving churches in Louisiana before he and his wife answered God’s call to international mission work. He served 27 years at the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary in Baguio City. As a professor, his teaching focused on preparing men and women for church work, and he also wrote many training materials used by individuals who did not have the opportunity to attend seminary. His ministry in the Philippines also included spending most Sundays visiting small barrio churches, advising and counseling the local pastors. He participated in baptisms in nearby rivers or the South China Sea, taking seminary students and often one of his children with him. When the Hamiltons returned to the United States from the Philippines in 1989, he continued his ministry, serving first as pastor at Southern Hills Baptist Church in Copperas Cove. He also was interim pastor at several Houston area churches, taught part time at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary extension in Houston, and finally served as the English-language pastor and acting senior pastor of a Chinese congregation. Until his death, he was a frequent volunteer at University Baptist Church, serving in programs such as Vacation Bible School and GriefShare. The last five years, he sang “Happy Birthday” by phone to hundreds of University Baptist Church members on their special day. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 65 years, Doris; a sister, Cara Wingert; and a brother, Perry Hamilton. He is survived by son Todd Hamilton Jr. and his wife Carol; son Scott Hamilton and his wife Mendy; daughter Ginger Westley and her husband Michael; daughter Joy Bradbury and her husband Robert; seven grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 19 at University Baptist Church, 16106 Middlebrook Drive in Houston, with a reception following in the church’s chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts to the Philippine Baptist Theological Seminary, mailed to James D. Chancellor, 1230 Garvin Place, Louisville, KY 40203.


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