Houston Eugene 'Gene' Hamilton

Mr. Houston Eugene "Gene" Hamilton, 66, of Manila, died Sunday, July 22, 2012, in Blytheville. Born in New Ark, he was the son of the late Roy Enoch and Mabel Mae Hodges Hamilton. He graduated from Manila high school in 1963 and was a retired heavy equipment operator for Terra Nitrogen of Blytheville.

In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by one brother, Junior Hamilton; and three sisters, Brenda Hamilton, Mary Webb and Betty Barber.

Mr. Hamilton leaves his wife, Rhonda Hart Hamilton of Manila;

Two sons, Cory Hamilton of Manila, and Jason McCollum of Poplar Grove, Ill.;

Two daughters, Tabitha Dixon and her husband, Mark, of Dell, and Tonia Dotters and her husband, Charles, of Osceola;

Two brothers, Gary Hamilton of Jonesboro and Albert Hamilton of Escondido, Calif.;

Two sisters, Wenda Bottoms of El Cajon, Calif., and Janis Mitchell of Manila; and

Five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at Howard Funeral Home Chapel in Manila with the Rev. Joey Smithson officiating. Burial will follow at the Manila Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday. Serving as pallbearers are Cody Hamilton, Jason McCollum, Justin Ford, Michael Ford, Gunner Ault and Hunter Hamilton.