Paul M. "Rusty" Hamilton, Jr.

Paul M. "Rusty" Hamilton, Jr., 88, of Charleston, South Carolina, widower of Carol Fennessy Hamilton entered into eternal rest Tuesday, November 19, 2024. His Funeral Service will be held Monday, November 25, 2024 in James Island Baptist Church, 2023 Wappoo Drive at 11:00 am. Interment, Holy Cross Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday, November 24, 2024 in the J. Henry Stuhr Inc., Downtown Chapel from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm. 

Rusty was born April 1, 1936 in Charleston, South Carolina, son of the late Paul M. Hamilton and Virginia Adams Hamilton. After graduating from Florida State University, Coach Hamilton taught every grade level from kindergarten to seniors in college. He served as an instructor of physical education and football coach for University High School on the Florida State campus. He also taught and coached football, wrestling, and track at St. Andrews High School in Charleston SC. He spent time on the football staff at Cainhoy High School, along with coaching football and track at Summerville High School. Rusty coached at the collegiate level as a member of the football staff at Furman University, After leaving Furman, Coach Hamilton joined the football staff at The Citadel. During that time period he coached on two of the most outstanding football staffs in Citadel history. Rusty also served as the wrestling and tennis coach during his tenure with the Bulldogs. During his time outside of coaching, Rusty worked in the family jewelry store at Hamilton Jewelers where he was a member of the Rotary Club of St. Andrews.

Among his many accomplishments, Coach Hamilton was twice chosen as the South Carolina state wrestling coach of the year. He started high school wrestling in the state and his St. Andrews High School wrestling teams won the first two state championships in South Carolina history. He was later inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Coach Hamilton was also South Carolina lower state track coach of the year at St. Andrews after his team finished second in the state championship meet and was defensive coordinator on the schools lower state football championship team. While coaching football at The Citadel, Rusty had multiple all conference players, along with being a part of a staff that would go on and become some of the finest coaches in all of football. As the offensive line coach in 1971, the Bulldogs averaged 457.3 yards per game, which still stands as the most in school history. He later joined the football staff at Cainhoy High School where the team won seventeen of his last eighteen games. After leaving Cainhoy, Coach Hamilton joined the football staff at Summerville High School, where the Green Wave won the South Carolina state football championship during his time there. He coached in seven high school state championships, as a head or assistant coach, during his career at the various schools. An avid tennis and racquetball player, Rusty won several city championships in tennis, along with two state championships in racquetball. He participated in Master's Track throughout the country where he was successful in many events during that time. Coach Hamilton was also chosen to carry the torch in the opening of the Palmetto State games held at the University of South Carolina. He finished his long coaching career at the age of 78 as the offensive line coach in the two Medal of Honor Bowls that were played in Charleston, SC.

  He is survived by his daughter, Lisa Carol Hamilton Bryant of Charleston, SC; two sons: Paul M. Hamilton III (Jane) of Kiawah Island, SC and Fred Hamilton (Janet) of Charleston, SC; sister, Virginia "Ginny" Merritt of Charleston, SC; eight grandchildren: Paul M. "Kye" Hamilton IV (Beth), Jenna Hamilton May (David), Alanna Hamilton Wojciechowski (Asher), Robert Taylor Bryant, (Cody), Carrie Bryant Richards, (Grant), Jordan Hamilton Pierce (Jay), Fred Zachariah "Zach" Hamilton, and Fred Reed Hamilton; seven great grandchildren: Beau Hamilton, Vivian Pierce, Gavin Pierce, Declan Richards, Cal Richards, Leo Wojciechowski, and Emma May. 

Memorials may be made to The Citadel Athletic Association, 171 Moultrie Street, Charleston, SC 29409 or to Furman University Athletics Department, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613.