By Heidi Smith
Sentinel & Enterprise
Copyright 2007 MediaNews Group, Inc. and Mid-States Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
GROTON, Mass. — Hundreds gathered at the Groton-Dunstable Middle School Saturday to bid a final farewell to William “Billy” Hamilton, a man best described as a good friend, hard worker and faithful family man.
The auditorium was filled with people touched by Hamilton’s larger than life personality.
His coffin lay draped with the flag of the Townsend Fire Department he served under, while some of his many friends shared stories about his life.
“I have no doubt in my mind that Billy’s already in heaven,” said Hamilton’s lifelong friend Doug Richardson. “He knows all of your relatives and he’s got them all organized. When you get there, he’ll be pulling OT at the gate asking what took you so long.”
Hamilton died on Sunday at age 54 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He leaves behind a wife of 21 years, Robin, and sons Preston, 19, and Sebastian, 17.
But Saturday, the focus was not on the loss of Hamilton. There are too many happy stories to tell about his life, too many fun memories to relive, friends and family members said. And that’s just what his loved ones did.
Born in Groton in 1952, Hamilton grew up with a deep love for his community.
He was the guy that kept tabs on everyone in town after high school. He knew everyone and all of their stories.
“If you needed to know something about someone, you went to Billy. But you better have been prepared to get a lot of details. Sometimes details you didn’t want to know about someone,” joked Richardson.
Hamilton loved people and he made them all his friends.
“He had more mothers then anyone I ever knew. Everyone was Ma to him,” said Richardson.
He studied accounting after graduating from Groton-Dunstable High School in 1970. That same year, he followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Groton Fire Department.
He served in Groton until 1985 and then moved to Townsend where he drove the fire engine for Townsend’s Engine Company 3.
“We weren’t just co-workers, we were family,” said Townsend firefighter Gary Shepherd. “Whether it was a life-threatening injury or as simple as getting a cat out of a tree to make somebody happy, Billy was there. He made you feel good. He did whatever it took.”
Steven Babbin grew up with Hamilton. They went to Boy Scouts together, played sports together and later worked together for the Groton Fire Department.
“When my wife and I had our daughter, Uncle Billy was right there baby-sitting, changing diapers and holding the bottle,” said Babbin.
Billy loved his job at the Groton oil company May & Hally where he worked for 31 years, driving a truck and pumping oil. Some weeks he put in 70 to 90 hours. In the summers he cut lawns as a side job.
“He didn’t just drop off oil. He’d come in open the fridge, grab a soda and catch up on the latest news. Then he’d leave, a puddle of mud on the floor and the scent of his cologne, eau de oil, lingering when he’d gone,” said Richardson, stifling a laugh.
Members of the Groton and Townsend fire departments carefully lifted Billy’s coffin onto a fire truck for his final ride. Wearing dress uniforms and marching in formation, his brother firefighters led the funeral precession under two fire truck ladders arching into the sky.