HTwitchell

Hamilton Leander Twitchell, known to most as "Uncle Ham" was born in Jefferson, Missouri, on February 27, 1916, to George A. and Tracy Rumans Twitchell. He passed away in Lynwood, California on March 11, 2001.

Uncle Ham was a man of all trades. He was extremely knowledgable about a myriad of subjects and he always had answers for everyone's questions. He was a kind, caring neighbor who always had time for those around him. He had a big heart, and loved to help others. The neighborhood kids could all say that Uncle Ham fixed their bikes or skates or scooters at one time or another. He never told them no, except on Sunday. When Sunday rolled around, he would tell the kids, "Today is a day of rest. You come back tomorrow and we'll get that fixed for you."

He was a beautiful man with kind words. Ann Compton, his next door neighbor for 34 years calls him her guardian angel. When her husband died, Uncle Ham made homemade soup for her "because it will help you" he told her. The first Valentine's Day after her husband died, she found a bouquet of violets on her front step. No note, no card, just some beautiful violets. When she told him about it, he replied, "They're from me. Your husband would not want you to feel forgotten, so I got them for you from him." He was one in a million! His love of people came back to him many times. He was dearly loved by his neighbors and friends. He was respected because he gave respect. He left a legacy of caring for others.

A Visitation service will be held Thursday, March 15, 2001 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Gardenside Funeral Service after which Uncle Ham will be taken home and laid to rest by his parents, in the Mt Olivet Cemetery, Marceline, Missouri. His loving granddaughter, Wanda A. Starke-Malmsbury and her husband Russell will accompany him to Missouri.

God looked around His garden and
He found an empty place.
He then looked down upon this earth,
And saw your tired face.

He put His arms around you,
And lifted you to rest.
God's garden must be beautiful,
He only takes the best.

He knew that you were suffering,
He knew you were in pain.
He know that you would never
Get well on earth again.

He saw the road was getting wide,
And the hills harder to climb, so
He closed your weary eyelids,
And whispered, "Peace be Thine."

It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone
For a part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

Wanda A. Starke-Malmsbury, Hamilton's granddaughter recalls, "He used to call me Little Punkin and I in turn called him Big Punkin. My grandfather was a wonderful man. When I was born on his 45th birthday, he was thrilled My mother used to tell me that I was the only birthday present that he ever wanted. He was my real hero when I was growing up because my father was gone alot. We used to drive to South Gate from San Diego on a Friday night and I would get so excited. I liked to play in his back yard with all his trees (I was a tomboy while growing up). I would climb his banana tree and crawl into the orange tree to get fresh fruit.

Punkin would make things for me and could fix anything. When he retired in 1979 from Western Gear Aerospace Manufacturing, he started to make car parts for my father's 1959 Nash Metropolitan, since these were extremely hard to find.

He had a heart of gold, and I will miss him alot. He always gave more than he received in life.

I love you, Punkin.