Alki Lighthouse, West Seattle, Washington

They came to benchmark the accomplishments of a remarkable Auxiliarist. In an unprecedented northwestern demonstration of respect and gratitude, the late Elizabeth J. “Betty” Hamilton (1921-2004) was posthumously honored at an intimate gathering of family and old Auxiliary acquaintances in West Seattle, Washington.

On the sunny afternoon of May 1, 2005 a widely diversified collective of active duty Coast Guard, Auxiliarists, and family members gathered on the lawn which fronts the ‘keeper’s office’ of the Alki Point Lighthouse. Among the many distinguished Coast Guard and Auxiliary guests were former Director of the Auxiliary (DIRAUX), Captain Ted Nutting, USCG (retired); current DIRAUX Kelley A. Boodell, LCDR, USCG; former National Commodore Viggo Bertelsen Jr.; former District 13 Commodore William L. “Bill” Houger and current District 13 Commodore Fred D. Bell.

A pleasant reminiscence session, led by Commodore Bill Houger (PDCO 13), cited the weighty contributions Betty Hamilton had made during her three decades as a member of the Auxiliary. He said she was “one of the most active Auxiliarists of all time” and called her “a devoted lady with fantastic talents and of clear vision.”

Betty Hamilton, whose skills and strategies were undeniably appreciable, and probably unmatchable, wore numerous hats of responsibility on a continuous basis. She was tough and true tempered, forged by life’s fiery experiences into a driving force so far above the common mill of humanity that we can scarcely comprehend her steady vigor.

Betty Hamilton had known the hellish ravages of war. As a newly graduated Navy nurse, she was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands when the sneak attack on American Forces took place 9 December 1941. Not yet twenty-one, she had nursed wounded military personnel in gut-wrenching circumstances and the unspeakable memories of those days remained privately undisclosed to most, if not all, inquirers.

L. to R., Current Alki Light Project Manager Roman Taifel, FC 130-02-05, Keith Harding DSO-PE 13-02 (holding plaque) and Ted Schiesswohl DCP 13-02

Hamilton joined the Auxiliary in August of 1971 and was soon actively engaged with her husband in boater safety missions. It was not long before she, together with her husband John, responded to a literal call to “come over and help us.” Together they assisted in the establishment of three flotillas in the Greater Seattle and Islands areas and held countless boating classes, all the while doing regular weekend patrols in their 26-foot Chris Craft.

Hamilton once told this writer that making their perpetual round trips across the waters of Puget Sound to Vashon Island to Flotilla 38 was exhausting. This, she recalled, was because she was still working as a registered nurse and all the while was still raising their family. She did not work tirelessly. She worked beyond tired.

Then followed the trips to Lake Forest Park Flotilla 37 where she and her husband John became active members. Then they moved to Flotilla 39 because it needed strengthening. And so it went over the years. In 1976 she and husband John founded Flotilla 25. By her own past account, and supportable by DIRAUX records, Betty Hamilton made several more flotilla transfers in her latter years and overall earned thousands of service hours fulfilling Coast Guard missions.

Hamilton was four times elected a Captain in Divisions Two and Three and was elected Flotilla Commander numerous times. As an AUXOP qualified member, she not only taught the AUXOP specialty courses she also provided proctor services. But her great strength of character was perhaps best demonstrated when gales of change struck the heartland of the Thirteenth District during the 1980’s. At that time an assortment of Auxiliary policy infractions had brought about the restructuring of the Division Three. Some units were renumbered and placed into Division Two. The stalwart ex-Navy nurse ‘stayed the course’ at a time when some local units experienced the loss of more than half of their members.

Betty J. Hamilton during in flag procession during one of her tenures as Captain

About four dozen Coast Guard associates and family members were in attendance at the Alki Lighthouse memorial ceremony for Betty Hamilton. Some of her family had traveled from as far as Pennsylvania. Those who chose to offer comment embraced the past with poignant memories or candid recollections, but she was not placed on a pedestal; commentary tended toward realistic expressions of appreciation for her remarkable record of services rendered to the Auxiliary and to the boating public. The freshest memories regarded her final decade of volunteer service when as a 73-year-old widow, by Coast Guard appointment; she became the Project Manager of Alki Lighthouse.

It seems that Hamilton was serving the third of her four Division Captain terms when 13th District Coast Guard authorities approached her with their dilemma. They wanted to provide public touring access to the Alki Point Lighthouse. Alki Light had been fully automated in 1984 and the final resident keeper had retired. The Coast Guard could not spare personnel to cover this desired public affairs mission.

By lifelong habit, Betty Hamilton stepped to the plate and said, “I’ll do it.” In seemingly natural order, she became liaison with the Coast Guard and from 1993 to 2003 the little building that was once the keeper’s office became her ‘command post’ as Alki Lighthouse Project Officer.

For ten years Hamilton relentlessly recruited tour guides from among the sometimes reluctant flotilla members to provide tour guides on weekends during the ‘lighthouse season.’ Her own weekends were spent there as overseer and she managed occasional weddings and group tours by appointment as well.

Throughout this time she wore several division and flotilla appointed and elected officer hats and conducted classes. It was not until she began a long battle with cancer that she finally slowed down. She retired from the Auxiliary not long before her death on 28 June 2004. She was nearing her 83rd birthday.

Did you know that there are several ‘unofficial’ Auxiliary songs? It appears that one of them is Joseph Drexler’s “The Coast Guard Auxiliary.” The old sheet music was found among Betty Hamilton’s memorabilia and provided for perusal by the family, along with a collection of photos and certificates.

Keith Harding. Flotilla 25 and Bonnie Harding Flotilla 13-2 worked for months to coordinate the event and arrange for the creation of a memorial plaque which bears Betty Hamilton’s photograph. The beautiful plaque was revealed at the ceremony and later taken down the path to the lighthouse’s workroom where it was permanently mounted on a prominent wall.

Current Director of the Auxiliary, LCDR Kelley A. Boodell, further added to the unprecedented memorialization event by presenting Betty Hamilton’s daughter, Cathy, with a traditionally tri-folded American flag; one of the national ensigns previously flown at Alki Lighthouse.

Early in the ceremony Division Two Captain Ted Schiesswohl read Tennyson’s “Crossing the Bar.” Eyes were brimming with tears by the time he finished the final line, “I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar.” Hamilton’s great granddaughter, Gabrielle, spoke up, saying in a way that only a precocious nine-year-old could, “I was really impressed with her!” But Gabrielle’s welled up emotions quickly brought her capability to talk about her beloved “GG” to a halt. It was a bittersweet moment.

Betty Hamilton’s full impact on behalf of the boating community and within the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary can only be left for time to reveal but it is clear and presently evident that there may never be another person who could ever fill her shoes in terms of sustained contribution.