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Hamilton was a son of Beth Gayle Hamilton and Edward Clinton Hamilton, Sr., a [[United States Army]] combat veteran of [[World War I]]. In 1942, he graduated from the [[Clifton Ellis Byrd]] High School in Shreveport and then enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps]], with service from 1943 to 1946. After finishing boot camp, radio school, and training at Camp Pendleton, he was sent to [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Guadalcanal]], and on April 1, 1945, he participated in the invasion of [[Okinawa]]. In November 1945, he was sent to [[Beijing]], [[China]], as a Marine guard until he returned home in February 1946. He then entered [[Southern Methodist University]] near [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[Psychology]]. After SMU, he was a treaty affairs analyst for the U.S. Department of State from 1949 to 1952. After the death of his father, he returned to Shreveport. He became  a [[petroleum]] scout and landman with the Pan American Production Company<ref name=obit>Judge Gayle Hamilton Obituary - Shreveport Times, accessed April 19, 2023.</ref> while he studied at night under prominent attorney Horace Morrison Holder (1913-1989).<ref>Horace Morrison Holder (1913-1989) - Find a Grave Memorial, accessed April 18, 2023.</ref> He was admitted to the state bar in 1956 and practiced law for two decades prior to becoming a judge.<ref name=obit/>

Hamilton was a son of Beth Gayle Hamilton and Edward Clinton Hamilton, Sr., a [[United States Army]] combat veteran of [[World War I]]. In 1942, he graduated from the [[Clifton Ellis Byrd]] High School in Shreveport and then enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps]], with service from 1943 to 1946. After finishing boot camp, radio school, and training at Camp Pendleton, he was sent to [[Pearl Harbor]], [[Guadalcanal]], and on April 1, 1945, he participated in the invasion of [[Okinawa]]. In November 1945, he was sent to [[Beijing]], [[China]], as a Marine guard until he returned home in February 1946. He then entered [[Southern Methodist University]] near [[Dallas]], [[Texas]], from which he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in [[Psychology]]. After SMU, he was a treaty affairs analyst for the U.S. Department of State from 1949 to 1952. After the death of his father, he returned to Shreveport. He became  a [[petroleum]] scout and landman with the Pan American Production Company<ref name=obit>Judge Gayle Hamilton Obituary - Shreveport Times, accessed April 19, 2023.</ref> while he studied at night under prominent attorney Horace Morrison Holder (1913-1989).<ref>Horace Morrison Holder (1913-1989) - Find a Grave Memorial, accessed April 18, 2023.</ref> He was admitted to the state bar in 1956 and practiced law for two decades prior to becoming a judge.<ref name=obit/>

He was one of the first local judges to have attended the National Judicial College in Reno, [[Nevada]], at which he was the faculty advisor in 1990. He served on many boards and committees. As a member of First [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church, he was from 1977 to 1978 the chairman if the First Baptist Church School just shortly after its founding. He was also active with the Shreveport Shriner’s Children’s Hospital Board, for which he established a ham [[radio]] station so that children from Latin America while undergoing treatment could communicate with their familie He was affiliated with the Council for Development of French (CODOFIL), Veterans War Memorial Committee, the International Trade Council of [[New Orlean]], and the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport.<ref name=obit/>

He was one of the first local judges to have attended the National Judicial College in Reno, [[Nevada]], at which he was the faculty advisor in 1990. He served on many boards and committees. As a member of First [[Southern Baptist|Baptist]] Church, he was from 1977 to 1978 the chairman if the First Baptist Church School just shortly after its founding. He was also active with the Shreveport Shriner’s Children’s Hospital Board, for which he established a ham [[radio]] station so that children from Latin America while undergoing treatment could communicate with their families. He was affiliated with the Council for Development of French (CODOFIL), Veterans War Memorial Committee, the International Trade Council of [[New Orleans]], and the Louisiana State Exhibit Museum in Shreveport.<ref name=obit/>

He was married for sixty-four years until his death to the former Gloria Hernandez of Barranquilla, [[Colombia]]. He was predeceased by his parents, a brother, Edward C. "Ned" Hamilton, Jr., who was the husband of the former Margaret Hightower, and a sister, Deryl Hamilton Freeman, the wife of William A. Freeman. The Hamiltons had four children,  Herbert Edward Hamilton, M.D., and wife Ruth Ann Butter of [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]]; Elizabeth "Betsy" Hamilton Woodall of [[Austin]], [[Texas]]; Gloria Elaine Hamilton of Shreveport, and Patricia Gayle Hamilton of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], Texas. The couple had seven grandchildren.<ref name=obit/>

He was married for sixty-four years until his death to the former Gloria Hernandez of Barranquilla, [[Colombia]]. He was predeceased by his parents, a brother, Edward C. "Ned" Hamilton, Jr., who was the husband of the former Margaret Hightower, and a sister, Deryl Hamilton Freeman, the wife of William A. Freeman. The Hamiltons had four children,  Herbert Edward Hamilton, M.D., and wife Ruth Ann Butter of [[Tulsa]], [[Oklahoma]]; Elizabeth "Betsy" Hamilton Woodall of [[Austin]], [[Texas]]; Gloria Elaine Hamilton of Shreveport, and Patricia Gayle Hamilton of [[Tyler, Texas|Tyler]], Texas. The couple had seven grandchildren.<ref name=obit/>