Hamill, Joan Kelleher
Joan Therese Kelleher Hamill passed away peacefully at home on July 22, 2022 after a brief illness. Joan was born on March 30, 1935 in Chicago, IL, the youngest of seven children born to Margaret Genevieve Berg Kelleher and William Michael Kelleher. She graduated from Siena High School in 1953. She was valedictorian of her class at Marymount Junior College in Arlington, Virginia, earning her associates degree in 1956. She returned to live with her mother in Chicago and began her career as a secretary at Hartford Insurance. She loved children and enjoyed babysitting her many nieces and nephews.
She was set up on a date with James Edward Hamill and they married on July 6, 1957 at St. Giles Catholic Church in Oak Park, Illinois, with a champagne reception at the Butterfield Country Club. She was an original telecommuting working mom, working from home in the early morning hours as the bookkeeper for her brother-in-law’s law firm. She moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 1974 and continued in her long distance bookkeeping and office manager role until the mid 1980’s. She then worked as a legal secretary for the Ft. Lauderdale City Attorney’s Office for many years, until she retired and moved to
Arlington, Texas in 2005 to be closer to her daughters. Joan had an active mind and enjoyed book club at the Arlington library, founded a ladies discussion group to consider current events, and played along with countless episodes of Jeopardy! She cared deeply about the environment and wanted to see it preserved for her grandchildren. Joan loved to help others, was a devoted friend to many, and believed
in equality for all people.
Her four children were her pride and joy - James Edward Hamill, Jr.(wife Diane Wilkens), Margaret Mary Hamill Wilson (husband Larry Allen), Mary Jo Ann Hamill Cantu (husband Ramon Miguel), and Daniel Hamill (wife Stacey). She is survived by seven loving grandchildren - Brian James Wilson, Rachel Louise Wilson, Joseph Volpe Cantu, Alicia Marie Cantu, Anna Marguerite Cantu, Timothy Hamill, and Zachary Hamill. Joan was preceded in death by her parents and husband, and her six siblings, Margaret Kelleher O’Neil, William James Kelleher, Raymond Matthew Kelleher, Theresa Agnes Kelleher Singer, Mary Jane Kelleher Broderick, and Stephen Robert Kelleher.
A celebration of Joan’s life will be held on Monday August 8 at Moore Bowen Road Funeral home at 5:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at 3:00 p.m. Internment at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery on Tuesday August 9 at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center in Cedar Hill, Texas.