Jesse Abraham Hamilton

Jesse Abraham Hamilton, age 39, passed away unexpectedly May 2, 2024. He is survived by his loving wife, Kelly A. Hamilton (nee Baker) and adoring daughters, Riley and Willow Hamilton; He is the cherished son of D. Eileen Irons (Gary); beloved brother of Jennifer Deehan, Catie Deehan (Johnnie), and Shania Hamilton (Corey); beloved uncle of Jayce, Cillian, and Corey Michael (CJ); adored stepson of Larry Hamilton (Melinda).  He was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Ann Buckner (2022). In remembrance of Jesse, family and friends are invited to visit on SATURDAY, MAY 18TH FROM 2-4PM AT BROWN-FORWARD, 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts. OH, 44120. A graveside service and interment with military honors will he held on MONDAY, MAY 20th at 11AM AT UNION CEMETERY, 3349 Olentangy River Rd, Columbus, OH 43202. 

He loved Batman, RC cars, dinosaurs, music, cartoons, food, Legos, K’Nex, Roger Rabbit, Star Wars, Power Rangers, Taz, the Chicago Bulls, OSU football (his mama taught him how to throw and send a perfect spiral), nature, theme parks, swimming, the Ohio State Fair, animals, Marvel, HotWheels, coloring, Christmas, Halloween, Godzilla everything, autumn, snowball fights, catching snapping turtles, picking on his sisters, watching movies, and making people laugh. 

Life was not always perfect. In fact it was hard and got harder. He pushed his mama’s buttons something fierce and when he was not arguing with Jennifer or putting her in milk crates, he was wrestling or playing action figures with Catie. He attended Holy Name as a kindergartner in Columbus and even in his school picture he had the look on his face that usually meant he was thinking of something funny, and that became a staple in a long line of animated facial expressions that made you smile and laugh. He loved gaming with Nintendo and SuperNintendo being his big catalysts to his love of games throughout his life. He was an outdoorsy kid who wanted to catch newts and frogs any chance he could at nearby creeks or rivers. He always was convincing his sisters to follow his lead and the biggest rule was always “unless it requires a hospital no crying, just have fun.” He even took up Karate in West Jefferson, Ohio where he proudly earned his belts before schedules did not allow him to continue. He was always eager to teach his sisters what he learned. 

In October 1996, his 3rd sister Shania was born. They were the bookends to Eileen’s children. If it weren’t for his step brother, Shawn, and his step dad Larry, Jesse would have only been surrounded by women seeing as how his twin aunts, Caren & Cathleen, and his nana, Ann Buckner, were the other family that completed him. Through the rocky times in his childhood and teen years, he was always fiercely loved. He may have been his sisters’ big brother protector, but mess with him and you had his 3 sisters to defend him no questions asked. After all, he is the one that taught them how to fight and all he knew about Karate. 

He attended various churches and youth groups as a teen and found friends at Trinity United Methodist Church. Jesse was affectionately called a ‘bonehead' because he had a knack for doing some incredibly dumb things. Accepting religion in his life really meant a lot to him. It helped him get through some hard times and he was grateful for the guidance of the youth pastors in his life. He went on a mission trip to Mexico where he felt he was needed and it gave him a different perspective of life and he absolutely loved it from the stories he shared.

Sometimes you get the great benefit of having a chosen family in life and to Jesse, as a teen, that was his best friend Jeff. He really did consider him his brother. Jesse was actually friends with Jeff’s brother, Nick, first. But after a knock down drag out fight Nick and Jesse had, Jeff and Jesse were almost inseparable. Along with Jeff and Nick, there was Jackie. If you ever stopped by to see Jesse and he was not home, you did not need to ask, chances were very likely he was with Jeff and Jackie. There was a time where Jeff and Jesse worked different times of day and Jesse would let Jeff use his truck. On a rainy night Jeff and his brother ended up getting into an accident in that truck. Jesse only wanted to know that they were okay. He didn’t care about the truck. That is the person Jesse always was. 

Jesse graduated in the spring of 2003 from Watkins Memorial High School in Pataskala. This was an absolute accomplishment and a moment of absolute pride in himself that he was able to graduate. He spent the next few years playing games and working jobs that “pays the bills” so that he could “live life relaxed”. He eventually moved to North Carolina to be with some family there and do something different with his life. In 2007 he came up to see family and attend the first wedding of the siblings. Jesse loved becoming an uncle to his nephews Jayce, Cillian, and CJ. Jesse will forever be known for introducing the entire family to THE Ohio State Fair (If you know, you know). 

Jesse met his future wife, Kelly, in August of 2008 at Falls Tap Room restaurant and bar in Raleigh, NC.  He was a shy line cook and she was an extroverted server/hostess who found him attractive and sparked his interest.  Their relationship began shortly after that first day working together and outside of their work schedules and his National Guard drill weekends, they were together as much as they could be together.  

Over the next year, Kelly moved back home to Shaker Heights, Ohio in January 2009 and Jesse deployed to Iraq from July-December 2009 and returned, with a torn meniscus, to continue active duty in Palm Bay, FL while living with his grandmother.  He and Kelly continued their relationship long-distance with Kelly coming out to visit in Florida a couple of times.

He was a dedicated and committed soldier even after he proposed and moved in with Kelly in Shaker Heights in June of 2010, after proposing to her that spring.  He traveled monthly to Raleigh, for drills and was honorably discharged in Spring of 2011 and put all of his energy into his work and starting of his new family, including their cat, Harry and new 1 y/o dog they named Patience (RIP to both).

Jesse had several jobs in Cleveland that showed his many talents.  He was a PETCO Aquatic Specialist: he was always an animal-lover and new how to take care of these animals well; He was a Swim Instructor, Deck Supervisor, and Front Desk Assistant at Goldfish Swim School: he learned that he was a natural teacher and mentor to children and young adults; and finally he was a Machinist at Hahn Manufacturing and then Kerek Industries and he had just been certified as a forklift driver at Kerek.  He took pride in his work and always showed his commitment and loyalty to the company he was working for.

Jesse and Kelly were married at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium on May 11, 2012 in front of their friends and family.  Shortly after getting married, they moved to a duplex in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and found out they were pregnant in December 2013.  They moved back to Shaker in July of 2014 and welcomed their daughter, Riley Anne on August 22, 2014.  While working at Goldfish Swim School, Jesse’s hours allowed him to spend a fair amount of time with Riley in the mornings and some afternoons while Kelly was at work. They had another child together on August 3rd, 2020 and named her Willow Eileen and their family became complete.  

Jesse has always been a loving father and supportive husband.  He was a wonderful cook and had a great sense of humor.  His favorite movies included Star Wars Trilogy, Deadpool, Hercules and Ace Ventura.  He loved music, video games, tattoos and playing with his girls!  He had a talent for drawing and had a dream of writing a book for new fathers, stories for video games and other fictional novels.  He was loyal to a fault and would be there at the drop of a hat to help anyone who needed him.  He loved his family, near and far, including his best friends, Jeff and Jackie Nutter, who had been part of his “chosen family” since high school.  He was loved by so many and there will forever be holes in the hearts of those he left behind.  May he truly rest in peace and look down upon all of those he loved with pride and happiness.  And may all of those who loved him find peace knowing he is and will forever be at peace.