William Jackson Hamilton, Iii

William Jackson Hamilton, III (Jack) died peacefully on Thursday, July 12, 2007 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was 63 years old.  Jack was born to William Jackson Hamilton, Jr. and Virginia Merle Anderson Hamilton in Warner Robbins, Georgia on January 30, 1944.  He grew up in Decatur, Georgia and graduated from Decatur High School and Georgia Institute of Technology.    On the day he graduated from Georgia Tech, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army and married the former Judy Lynn Hughes.  In 1968, he served in Vietnam and received the Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement in Ground Operations against Hostile Forces.  After returning from Vietnam, he graduated from Woodrow Wilson College of Law and began a successful career in the commercial real estate business.  He formed his own company, Capital Investments, Inc. and Hamilton Commercial Realty, Inc. specializing in property acquisition for investment and development.  He was a lifetime member in the Atlanta Commercial Board of Realtors Million Dollar Club and earned the Phoenix award for 10 plus years in the Million Dollar Club.  While at Georgia Tech, Jack played freshman baseball and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity.  He remained active with the chapter throughout the years as they raised money for house renovations and educational scholarships.  He cherished the lasting friendships of his fraternity brothers throughout all the years.  He was a tremendous Georgia Tech fan, and rarely missed a football or basketball game. He was a member of the Decatur Rotary Club and the Atlanta Athletic Club. He walked a Godly path and was an inspiration to all who knew him.  He grew up at 1st Baptist Church of Decatur and later was a member of Briarlake Baptist Church for many years.  Currently Jack was a member of John's Creek Baptist Church.  Other than God and his family, perhaps Jack's greatest love was fishing.  He loved saltwater fishing and fishing in the lake of his beloved farm in Madison but most of all he loved to fly fish.  He tied his own flies and was thrilled to catch that elusive trout with a fly that he had chosen and one that he had tied himself.  Most of all he loved the opportunity fishing gave him to spend time with his sons.  He took them to Montana and to New Mexico, to Alaska and to Chile.  Every trip he made included a side trip fishing, whether it be New England, Mexico, or even Scotland.  He loved to teach others to fly fish and to share with others the importance to him of his relationship with God.  He was a "fisher of men". Jack will best be remembered as a faithful and caring son, a devoted and loving husband, a proud father and an adoring grandfather.  He leaves to cherish his memory  his parents, Jack and Jenny Hamilton; his wife of 40 years, Judy Hughes Hamilton, His son, William Jackson Hamilton IV and his wife, Lori and their son Will; his son, James McCurdy Hamilton and his wife Amy; his son, Justin Hughes Hamilton and his wife, Cecily and their daughters, Channing and Annlyn.  He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Jenny and David London; his brother Jimmy and sister-in-law, Jamie; his mother-in-law, Ann McCurdy Hughes; his sister-in-law, Jan Hughes; and his brother-in-law James Hughes and his wife Susan. He will be missed by many nieces, nephews, and friends. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Tuesday, July 17th at John's Creek Baptist Church, 7500 McGinnis Ferry Road in Alpharetta. Interment will be private at Decatur City Cemetery.  In honor of two of Jack's greatest loves, his relationship to God and to fly-fishing, the family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to: The Building Fund of John's Creek Baptist Church, 7500 McGinnis Ferry Road, Alpharetta, GA  30005, Or to: Reel Recovery,  www.reelrecovery.org;  160 Brookside Road, Needham, MA  02492. (800-699-4490)  Reel Recovery is a national non-profit organization that conducts fly-fishing retreats for men recovering from life-threatening cancer.  It was founded by a group of avid fly-fishers inspired by their fishing buddy's battle with brain cancer. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 9:00 P.M. Sunday, July 15th at A. S. Turner & Sons.  Condolences may be left for the Hamilton family at www.caringbridge.org/visit/jackhamilton.  A. S. Turner & Sons