Fred Hamilton

Fred joined the Navy and was stationed in Seattle when they met at a church dance.

It was May, 1946 when the newly weds arrived in Craig.A week later Fred went to Cordova fishing with his brother.Bev stayed behind in their little rented house on the point at the cannery, where the cold storage is now located.Little did they know the house leaked like a sieve and was full of rats.She had never used an oil stove, the hot water heater broke, everything went wrong that could.But Yates Hardware came to the rescue.Either Tex Yates or one of his sons helped her, since most of the other men were out fishing.She was kept busy painting the house, putting up berries and working in the garden and she adds, "I was quite proud of all the things I did to occupy my time.People asked me if I didn't just think about going home.Well, no, I really didn't," she reminisced."I guess I must have been awfully in love or something.Besides all the things I accomplished, my sister-in-law was here and we did a lot of things together."

Bev spent 10 years as a post office clerk and 14 as post master while Fred first seined, then worked as the school custodian during winter months and fished in summer.But then he felt he wanted to spend more time with their three boys and two girls, so he took a job at Ellis Airlines, now Alaska Airlines.He also did some furnace maintenance, worked at the mill and acted as the first agent for the Alaska Marine Highway on the Island before he retired.Four of their children still live here in Craig and they have 11 grandchildren.

What Bev likes best about Craig: "I like the people the most.I love living in a small community where everyone knows each other.When I first came here, the thing that meant the most to me was that everyone loved the children.All the adults were grandma, grandpa, auntie or uncle."
...
When you are in the company of Fred and Bev Hamilton, they give you a smile like the ones they received when they arrived in Craig 55 years ago.They both share a genuine love for everyone and we thank them for their dedication to the community Once you get to know them you just may want to adopt them as your grandparents.

People in the News Archives

Home News