Charles Edward Hamilton, 88, of Buena Vista, sadly passed away on Feb. 22, 2025. Charles was a lifelong resident of Buena Vista and was born on Sept. 14, 1936. 

Charles was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Mary Rosalee Newell Hamilton; his parents, Charles Henry and Lilly Ramsey Hamilton; and brothers James Hamilton and Kenneth Hamilton. Charles was the oldest of seven children. 

Charles started his work career at a very young age at the Buena Vista Foundry and the Rockbridge Movie Theater. He then gained employment at the Duroflex Factory (later to become Reeves Brothers Inc.). Charles began his career at Reeves as a spreader operator while advancing eventually to the position of laboratory technician while celebrating a 30-plus-year career at Reeves.

Charles enjoyed old western movies as well as sharing stories about his career at the Rockbridge Movie Theater and beyond. He was proud of his movie theater career and was well known to the extended local movie theater circuit which included his expertise of operating 35 MM film projectors at the Rockbridge Theater in Buena Vista, the Buena Vista Drive-In, Hulls Drive-In, the State and Lyric theaters Lexington, the Buchanan Drive-In, the Liberty Theater in Bedford and the Bridge Movie Theater in Bedford. 

Charles very much enjoyed sharing stories of his adolescence and growing up in Buena Vista. His favorite memories included “shooting marbles,” playing “Sheep’s in the Run” and baseball near the old train station in Buena Vista. 

Charles and his beautiful wife Mary loved to dance and they were often the first couple to take the dance floor and the last couple to leave the dance floor. Our Dad loved Buena Vista and he often said that there was no place more beautiful and enjoying as Buena Vista. Our Dad was very humorous and it was hard not to laugh at his gestures, his comments and his reactions.

Charles is survived by sons Mike Hamilton (Lori) and Alan Hamilton (Renee); granddaughters Christie Galligan (Erik) and Kaitlyn Darby (Aaron); grandsons Christopher Hamilton and Zach Hamilton (Sara); great-granddaughters Londyn Galligan, Braelyn Galligan, Baylee Darby and Riley Hamilton; great-grandsons Landon Galligan, Easton and Reece Darby and great-step-granddaughter Emily Galligan; and his beautiful sisters Dovie Berry (Sonny), Shirley Harlow (Eddie), Patricia Bryant (Ronnie) and Darlene Patterson (Charles). 

A funeral will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Bolling, Grose & Lotts Funeral Chapel with burial to follow at Green Hill Cemetery in Buena Vista. There will be a one-hour viewing prior to the service. The viewing will begin at 10 a.m.