Sarah Garland Hamilton, 64, a native Oak Parker, died at her home in Chicago’s South Loop on July 9, 2016, eight months after a diagnosis of brain cancer.
Following the diagnosis, she retired from her job as legal assistant at Funkhouser Vegosen Liebman & Dunn with the goal of organizing both her own affairs and her mother’s.
A champion of elegance and clarity, she was an invaluable editor as well as organizer, and was indispensable to her employers. She was devoted to her bosses, first at Wilson & McIlvaine, then at Doyle & Bolotin, and finally at FVLD.
Sarah studied chemistry as an undergrad at the University of Illinois, received her master’s in English literature from Roosevelt University. She studied French at the Sorbonne before returning to English, and wrote her Ph.D. thesis at Loyola University on the use of music and time in the novels of George Elliot. The novel Middlemarch sustained and amused her until the end of her life.
She had many devotions, including her book club of 30 years, ballet, classical music and yoga. In gratitude, near the end, she pronounced yoga to be “the greatest boon to mankind.”
Her greatest devotion, however, was to her mother, caring for her though many decades and several changes of address.
Sarah Hamilton is survived by her mother; her siblings, Duncan, Bruce, Jeremy and Jane; her brother-in-law, Bob Willard; her niece and nephews; her book club family and her many friends.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, July 15 at 10 a.m. at the Elliott Chapel on the Presbyterian Home Campus, 3131 Simpson in Evanston. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to Rainbow Hospice, or Journey Care Hospice, or to the Women’s Board of the Presbyterian Home, in Evanston, Illinois.
