Hilda Alicia Hamilton

Hilda Alicia Hamilton, 78, died May 24, 2012, with her family at her side in Wasilla.

A private family viewing was May 25 at Valley Funeral Home and Chapel with Pastor Stan Tucker present. Hilda’s ashes will be scattered at Hatcher Pass at a later date.

“A butterfly lights up beside us like a sunbeam, and for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world. But then it flies on again, and though we wish it could have stayed; we felt so lucky to have seen it.”

Hilda was born April 2, 1934, in San Antonio, Texas, to Jose Juan and Maria G. Rodriguez.

Hilda attended an all-girls Catholic school until the eighth grade. Though she hadn’t graduated from high school, she was extremely educated. She enjoyed reading the publications Gardening, Popular Mechanics, National Geographic, Smithsonian and anything having to do with NASA. She was a great believer in God and read her Bible every day, while listening to music worshiping and praising him.

While working as an office manager in San Antonio, Texas, Hilda met and married Marion M. Hamilton (Ham). They bought a small private airport outside San Antonio, where she provided a safe home for two-dozen abandoned dogs. She not only had a very big and loving heart for animals, she also made a point to help those less fortunate than herself.

She and Ham moved to Alaska in 1968 in an old converted bread truck, arriving with $25, no job, no friends and no place to stay. Ham obtained a job with an electronics company, and they were able to buy a trailer. They lived in Anchorage, where she worked as a receptionist at a hair salon. They bought property and moved to Willow in 1972 where she transition into a homemaker.

She spoiled her family with fresh bread, cookies, yummy pecan and chess pies. Her home always smelled of fresh baking. She was very proud of once owning a gold mine lease in Hatcher Pass. The summers were spent digging, panning and enjoying the beauty of nature. She loved having her family around at the mine and especially enjoyed watching her grandchildren rolling down the hills on the moss and taking mid-afternoon naps in the mountains. She moved to Wasilla in the 1990s and enjoyed beautiful flower and vegetable gardens. She later moved to Orlando, Fla., and resided at a retirement community in Lady Lake, Fla., until her husband passed away.

She longed for the mountains and her family, so she moved back to Alaska in 2005, where she lived with her daughter, Rita. She bonded with and loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; she cherished each of them in her own special way. Alicia was especially close to her last two great-grandchildren. She would take them to their “project” at Lowes on Saturdays, their classes at Excel Gymnastics, the zoo, Broadway shows and her favorite, ice cream cones — no matter what time of day. She also enjoyed participating in family night at the preschool each month and had as much fun as the children. She gave all her grandchildren unconditional love and was always there to clean boo-boos and give kisses to make it all better.

“Alicia had a giving and loving heart and gave of herself without expectations. She was loved by all who knew her,” her family wrote. “We know her spirit is, and always will be, with us. She is now our guardian angel. She will protect us all and will be a gentle breeze guiding us through the trials of life. Alicia was truly loved and we will miss her tremendously!”

Her daughter, Rita wrote: “My mother was an adventurous, fun loving person. To her, love conquered all and God should be the foundation of everything we do. Family was important to her, and our family was very blessed to have her with us these past six years, sharing her experiences and bringing true joy into our everyday living.”

Preceding her in death was her husband, Marion M. Hamilton; brothers, Robert and Jody Rodriguez; and sister, Margaret Mesker.

Surviving are her daughter, Rita M. Davila of Wasilla; daughter, Gloria L. Taylor (Dennis) of Lady Lake, Fla.; grandson, Robert R. Davila (Brenda) of Palmer; grandson, Raul R. Davila (Alecia Chester) of Wasilla; granddaughter, Ronica Holeman (Curtis) of Anchorage; great-grandchildren, Stephen G. and Tessa B. Davila of Las Vegas, Nev., Rachelle Conway of Portland, Ore., Chaz Davila-Rush of Fairbanks, Renata “Rain” M. and Robert “Talon” Davila of Palmer, Drew Burns of Wasilla, Skylar Smyth of Wasilla, and Breeanna G. and Gracie A. Davila of Wasilla; and brother, Albert Rodriquez (Gladys) of Seal Beach, Calif.

Arrangements were by the Valley Funeral Home and Crematory. Visit the guestbook online at alaskanfuneral.com.