Peter Lawrence Hamilton, 87, passed away peacefully on November 13, 2025.  Pete was born in Flint, Michigan on July 28, 1938, and raised in Casa Grande, Arizona.  He attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and served in the United States Air Force as a second lieutenant in the early 1960s.  During the tense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Pete and his fellow crewmen remained continuously airborne and on high alert aboard their B-52 bomber.

Settling in Seattle, Washington after his military service, Pete began a long and successful career as a hairstylist and salon owner.  At his first job at the popular downtown department store Frederick & Nelson, Pete met his favorite client, Karen Gail Davies.  Pete and Karen married in 1966.  They greatly enjoyed outdoor life in the Pacific Northwest, with backpacking and archery—both were Washington State Champion archers in the 1970s.

Sailing became a lifelong passion.  They purchased a small sailboat and began racing in local regattas.   Before long, their young family moved aboard a larger boat, the Unicorn .  They delighted in exploring the waters of the San Juan Islands and British Columbia during vacations.  Leveraging a talent for woodworking, Pete launched a new career in yacht refinishing, building a loyal client base in Seattle's top marinas through his great skill in precision painting and varnishing.

Pete and Karen would eventually embark on a much longer voyage aboard Unicorn .  For nearly five years, they followed the winds down and across the Pacific Ocean.  Their most significant ports of call included Baja California Sur and the Sea of Cortez, French Polynesia, Tonga, and New Zealand.

With their travel bug temporarily sated, Pete and Karen returned to Seattle.  They had long planned their retirement to The Villages and moved across the country to the village of Fernandina in 2013.  An avid reader since early life, Pete routinely tackled one or two books each week, from historical biographies to popular fiction.  He enjoyed numerous activities in The Villages, especially golfing and visits to the gym.

Pete and Karen weren't complete homebodies; later excursions took them to Paris, Switzerland, and the Yucatan Peninsula.  Naturally gregarious, Pete made friends across the world.  He will be missed by all who knew him.

Pete is survived by his wife Karen Hamilton, his son Glen Erik Hamilton, sister-in-law Barb Glenn, and grandchildren Mads and Rowan.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to Florida Cancer Specialists (flcancer.com) or St. Jude Children's Hospital (stjude.org).