Mary Chapman Hamilton, age 48, passed away peacefully in her sleep on February 10, 2014 at her residence in Carmel, Indiana after a protracted battle with breast cancer. Mary was born on May 10, 1965 in Norfolk, Virginia, daughter of Dr. Rees Cecil Chapman and Dorothy Wilson Chapman. She attended Norfolk Academy and was graduated with honors from Davidson College in 1987, Phi Beta Kappa. She was graduated from the University of Virginia Law School in 1992 and clerked for a federal magistrate in 1993.
After law school, she worked for the law firm of Vandeventer Black in Norfolk, Virginia before retiring in 1996 to be with her growing family, during which time she argued before the Fourth Circuit Court of Virginia, the Virginia Supreme Court and co-authored a brief to the United States Supreme Court.Mary was involved with the young families program at Second Presbyterian Church, of which she is a member, Cub Scouts and as a contract attorney for Ice Miller. Her hobbies included reading, gardening, cycling, skiing and hiking.
Mary is survived by her husband John William Hamilton, her daughter Katherine Moir Hamilton and her son John (Jack) W. Hamilton, Jr., her father Dr. Rees Cecil Chapman (Loretta), her brother Rees C. Chapman (Dr. Stephanie Corn), her brother John Chapman ( Nancy), her uncle Edwin Wilson (June), her cousins Hugh Verano (Beverly), John Verano (Elizabeth), Nancy Stillwagon (Bob), Jenny-Jo Graham, Margie Holley (Perry), Edwin Wilson , John Wilson (Janelle) and her nephew Will Chapman (Jeanna), niece McKensey Chapman, and grand-nephew Thomas Chapman and Penn Wilson. She is preceded in death by her mother, Dorothy Wilson Chapman, her aunts Ellen Graham, Alice (Lassie) Verano and her cousin Bill Graham.
Mary also is survived by her father-in-law George Hamilton (Barbara), her brothers-in law Thomas Hamilton (Libby), Dr. Mark Hamilton (Jennifer) and her sister-in law Connie Shields (Steve Grovdahl).
The calling will be held from 1:00 to 2:45 PM on Saturday, February 22, 2014 at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Indiana and the memorial service will be held thereafter in the chapel at 3:00 PM.
Mary and her family would like to thank the doctors and caregivers at Community North Hospital and all of her wonderful friends who supported them in the past weeks.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Autism Research Institute or the Indianapolis Humane Society. Online condolences may be shared with the family at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/marymoir/guestbook.