Ian Hamilton
Ian N. Hamilton of Lookout Mountain, Georgia passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on February 21, 2024, surrounded by family.
He was born in Montreal, Canada in 1936 to Bill and Myra Hamilton and moved to Chattanooga when he was 12 years old. He was the eldest of four children. The family lived on Missionary Ridge and the children attended Missionary Ridge Elementary School. From there he attended McCallie School, where he excelled as a swimmer, and graduated in 1955. He graduated from Auburn University in 1960. Ian loved his family, his golf and his Lord.
He married Lansing Alston in 1959. After they were married, Ian and Lansing moved to Auburn, where he finished the last seven months of school before graduating. After graduation they moved back to Chattanooga, where Ian immediately began naturalization classes at the “firm suggestion” of his father-in-law, Bob Alston. He became a naturalized citizen in 1960. Ian was a longtime member of Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church and the Lookout Mountain Golf Club, where he made life-long friends whom he cherished throughout his life.
He began his career in textile sales at Burlington Mills before joining The Standard-Coosa-Thatcher Company in 1961. After the sale of SCT in 1987 to American Thread, Ian continued his career in textile sales and consulting until he retired from McMichael Mills in 2012. He was president of the Rossville Kiwanis Club for several years, during which time he, Wes Brown and Lew Oehmig started the Chattanooga City Four-Ball Championship benefit golf tournament that was reincarnated years later as The Moccasin Bend Four-Ball. During this time he began a life in public service, initially as a volunteer fireman with the Lookout Mountain, Ga. fire department. From there, he went on to serve on the City Council for 18 years, followed by 12 years as mayor of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. After 30 years in government service with the City of Lookout Mountain, Ga., he stepped down in January of 2002.
Ian was dearly loved and is now greatly missed by Lansing, his wife of 65 years. He was the proud father of three children: Dr. Ian N. Hamilton, Jr. (Stacey), Lansing Bosgraf (Scott) and Alston Hamilton, and he adored his eight grandchildren: Zoe and Olivia Hamilton; Alex, Hamilton and Mya Bosgraf; and Grace, Alston II and Mary Hardin Hamilton. Other survivors include his brother, Ross Hamilton of New York City, and his sister, Deirdre Galloway of Houston, Texas. He is predeceased by his parents and his brother, Allyn Hamilton.
Visitation will be held in the Fellowship Hall at Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church on Saturday, March 9, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. followed by a private family service.
The family would like to thank Ian’s caregivers at Morning Pointe Assisted Living and Hearth Hospice for their care and support.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church Renew Fund.