After graduation, Bill married his high-school sweet heart, Olive. They raised three sons, Bill, Russell and Paul, who in turn, presented them with seven grandchildren who in turn have begat five great grandchildren.

In 1942, Bill enlisted in the Navy (to avoid the Army) where he briefly started in the officer training program. However, when the Navy found out he had a wife and son he was terminated from officer training and sent to "boot camp." He managed to find time to sing with the Great Lakes Naval Choir and get involved with a quartet (more on that later). He was assigned to an APA as a motor machinist, helping to repair landing craft. Bill was among the first to step ashore at Nagasaki after "the bomb" was dropped.

Following the war, Bill and Olive settled in Mt Lebanon where Bill started working as a "bob tailer" style milkman for Menzi Dairy. After a few years of the moo juice routine, Bill went into sales where he spent most of his working lifetime selling various things including securities, real estate, time sharing, automobiles, etc. They moved their family to North Huntington for 26 years and then, after the boys had left home, to their retirement home in Greensburg. Bill continued to work for awhile; this time as an ombudsman for the Area Agency on Aging, serving as a negotiator, arbitrator, advocate and counselor for the aged.

On May 19,1997 Olive passed away after 57 years of marriage. After a while, Bill found that living life alone is very lonely indeed. Bill and his "significant other," Evie Welsh now reside in Monroeville.

Well, what about Bill's barbershop history? Sometime in the late 1930's, Bill happened to meet up with Maurice (Molly) Reagan who urged Bill to get involved with barbershop and quartet singing. So when the Pittsburgh chapter started to meet, Bill was there. When they were chartered as Pennsylvania #1, Bill was there. And Bill has been with the Pittsburgh chapter ever since.

When Bill joined the Navy back in 1942, he formed a quartet called the "Swab Jockeys." Bill was assigned to APA 129, USS Marvin S. Mackentire but found that the quartet was in demand and they were soon entertaining on various ships and found that singing was a great way to escape some other duty assignments

Returning to the Pittsburgh chapter after the Navy, Bill continued his quartet interests. The first chapter quartet he sang with was The Buccanaires. Then came the B-Naturals. One of the longest running quartet participations for Bill was with the Sheratones. In the early 50's, the chapter was meeting at the Sheraton Hotel (William Penn) and following the meeting, quartets would sing in the lobby and get invited to rooms to sing. The hotel manager was instrumental in getting the Sheratones to be sponsored by the hotel chain for about 20 years which included singing in Chicago where the quartet was given a suite.

Over the ensuing years, Bill sang with the Close Chorders, Twilighters, Downtowners, Fantastiks, Selectones, Pittsburghers, Local Hot-Shots, Day Tymers, Music Menagede, Four Pitt Pals, Random Choice and Pals Of The Woodshed.

The Downtowners was a quartet put together to win the International Quartet contest for the Loyal Order of Moose for three consecutive years after which the Moose gave up the activity.

Bill learned to sing all four quartet parts so he could always join in a quartet and was able to sing with anyone at conventions, contests, afterglows, etc. Any one familiar with Bill knows that he is quite a woodshedder.

Bill relates that he has many fond memories of barbershop over the years. He remembers singing with the Suntones (one of his favorites) at International years ago. Bill recalls with a laugh what an experience it was to sing with Tom O'Malley. He relates that Tom was a vaudeville performer and singer who would routinely change pitch in the middle of a song, or suddenly stop mid-song to talk a bit and then jump right back into the song.

Bill has brought at least 30 (and probably more) men into barbershopping. He has been presented the "Man of Note" ten times.

Well, there is a brief look at Bill Hamilton. At 85 years of age, I'm sure his barbershop career is not yet over. Hats off to you Bill and keep on singing!

A thought: Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's nut that held its ground.