Florence Jane Hamilton

Florence Jane (Austin) Hamilton passed away peacefully at the age of 102 on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Milton Senior Living. Florence was born February 15, 1917, in Janesville Township to Alva Gilman Austin and Mabel (Isaac) Austin. She attended Austin School and graduated from Janesville High School in 1933. She lived the first 80 years of her life within ½ mile on Mineral Point Road on the Austin farm or on the Hamilton farm following her marriage to Ray Hamilton in 1941. At 80, she moved to Milton where she lived the remainder of her life. She had many interests and was active in a variety of pursuits including: Austin Homemakers, Community Club, and the Janesville Recorder Consort. She was a 4-H Clothing Leader and never missed a concert or performance in which her children were performing. After Ray’s death in 1979, she began taking art classes at the Janesville Senior Center where she learned to paint with watercolors and traveled to Elder Hostel Classes. She was always passionate about her church, Cargill United Methodist Church, where she was a member for 91 years, and participated in Women’s Circle and other musical groups. Her hobbies included being a Master Knitter, crossword puzzles, birdwatching, gardening, tending the family orchard, and growing orchids. Florence is survived by her five children: Jane (Dr. Carl) Pagel of Heuvelton, NY, Dr. Joel (Mary Jo) Hamilton of Moscow, ID, Mary Froberg of Excelsior, MN, Margaret (Hoyt) Smith of Tulsa, OK, and Rev. Elizabeth (Frank) Green of Milton, WI. She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Paul, Jon, and Brian Pagel, Michael Braun-Hamilton, Ian Hamilton, Jennifer and Jason Froberg, Tyler and Adrian Smith; and nine great-grandchildren: Josiah, Isabella and Trevor Pagel, Ezekiel Braun-Hamilton, Isaac and Gavin Hamilton, Anais and Juniper Froberg-Martinez, and Sadie Smith. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Hamilton; her son-in-law, Dr. M. Kent Froberg; grandson, Eric Pagel; and her brothers, William Austin and Alva (Sammy) Austin. Visitation will be held at Henke-Clarson Funeral Home, 1010 North Wright Road, Janesville from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m on Wednesday June 19, 2019, and from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at Cargill United Methodist Church, 2000 Wesley Avenue, Janesville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Cargill United Methodist Church with Rev. Susan Lockman officiating. Burial will follow in Oak Hill Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be made to the music programs of Cargill United Methodist Church. Henke-Clarson Funeral Home www.henkeclarson.com