Gregory Steven Hamilton

Gregory Steven Hamilton

January 26, 1972 – February 9, 2023

Two weeks after his 51st birthday, our sweet, gentle Greg went home.

He was preceded in death by his father, Steven Lynn Hamilton; his grandparents, Rodney and Ivy Hamilton; his best “Bud” grandpa, James Bud Young and his grandma, Mary Ann Jonsson Young.

He is survived by his loving parents, Frances Young Ripley and Robert L. Ripley; his sisters, Amy Hamilton Canning (Michael), Anna Hamilton Utley (Jon), and Emily Hamilton; and his brother, Joseph D. Hamilton as well as his sisters, Kirsten Ripley Jacobson (Ben) and Lindsay H. Ripley; and his brother, Rob Ripley (Sheridan). He is also survived by many adoring nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, and uncles.

Greg was cherished. He lived his life in an encouraging, supportive environment — surrounded by love — where he could blossom, grow, and reach his full potential, exploring life as he chose.

Greg had no guile or fear. He enjoyed performing on stage at ward parties, delivering fully memorized comedy routines, and he was always the last one to leave the dance floor. His vast movie collection was an inspiration. He had them all memorized and delighted in mouthing the words as the movie played.

He bore his testimony regularly in church and daily by the way he lived. He enjoyed reading scriptures as part of bearing his testimony. Greg read all of the standard works in large-print text. His scripture reading was often one of the last things he did on Saturday night before bed. He was a priest for many years, blessing and preparing the sacrament — always with reverence and extraordinary care. He was ordained an elder and took his priesthood responsibilities seriously as a faithful home teacher and ministering brother in Christ.

Greg was fun — a friend to all! He enjoyed his “people” and loved being part of their lives as a son, brother, cousin, neighbor, and coworker. His mornings would start with laughter and music as he prepared for work at the local Jewel grocery store in Cary, Illinois, where he worked for 22 years. People would wait in his line — even if it was longer — to visit with him and exchange jokes, laughs, or stories as he bagged their groceries. While collecting carts out in the parking lot, he kept a badge in his wallet and handcuffs in his apron pocket, just in case he needed them for his “undercover work” with the local Cary police department.

Greg delighted in winning the Illinois lottery — much to his mom’s chagrin — but he kept playing and winning on a regular basis. He was also a faithful suitor to Deanna Troi of Star Trek and to Prue and Phoebe Halliwell of Charmed. Valentine’s Day would find the mailbox stuffed with chocolates and roses for his celebrity crushes.

Every holiday and birthday warranted a celebration — Greg loved to party! The stretch from Halloween to his January birthday was always an exciting time. And the day after his birthday, he would immediately begin the countdown to next year.

Greg loved sports and was a big fan of the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco 49ers. He could make half-court baskets from time to time and routinely hit hundreds of shots from the free-throw line. He bowled 196 and loved to swim whenever he had the chance. He got his orange belt in karate after inspiration from the Karate Kid, and he recently took up boxing as a form of exercise to stave off the effects of Parkinson’s.

Greg loved to explore and travel. He was always up for a good road trip. He enjoyed taking the train into Chicago or riding up the canyon in Colorado Springs with his favorite teacher, T.C. Wilson. He flew to Utah many times to visit grandpa and grandma, soaked up the sun in Hawaii, celebrated his 30th birthday in Las Vegas, and finally cruised the Caribbean on his last big family trip in 2015.

Greg loved his music — all genres, from classical to rock. He fancied himself a trombone player, a recorder player, and on occasion, a harmonica player. He’d even sit at the piano from time to time and play an original composition. He was also competitive when it came to games. He loved a good Uno game or Connect 4 match and was tough to beat!

Greg was inquisitive and enjoyed reading about a variety of subjects. His library was vast, and his copy of Shakespeare’s Hamlet was dog-eared and worn — definitely one of his favorites.

Greg was a hard worker and never saw limits to what he could achieve. He would readily talk about his work as an author, professor, research scientist, movie producer, recording artist, explorer, starship captain, comedian, and jokester. No one was more of an authority on all things Star Wars or Star Trek. He was all that and so much more — he was a miracle from heaven.

The family is grateful for the outstanding team at First Choice Hospice, particularly Nurse Rachel and Aide Rachel for their loving care of Greg in recent weeks.

Many thanks to the members of Cranberry Farms 2nd ward for the outpouring of charity to our family.

A celebration of Greg’s life and his funeral service/visitation will be held at the Cranberry Farms 2nd Ward, located at 2150 North Pointe Meadow Drive in Lehi, Utah on Saturday, February 18, 2023. There will be a viewing from 10:00-10:45 am., and the service will begin at 11:00 am. .Burial will be in the Highland City Cemetery in Highland, Utah.