Lyle Hamilton

Lyle Hamilton lived a life that was rich with family, experiences, and everything else that life had to offer. Born in Wellington County Ontario, Lyle grew up on the family farm with his siblings Murray and Janice before leaving for the University of Waterloo, and then Queen’s to pursue Physiotherapy. Always believing he could do it all, he even took his beloved horse Jazz with him, boarding her at the Kingston Fairgrounds, and visiting her every day.

As Lyle built his career, he prided himself on the relationships he was able to form with patients. His ability to make people feel supported and heard was one of his greatest gifts as a Physiotherapist. After beginning at St Mary’s of the Lake Hospital, Lyle worked in various clinics before opening his own in Napanee, alongside his wife Judy. Before retiring in 2015, Lyle’s care and compassion made him a fixture in the community.

As a father and grandfather, Lyle prided himself on making childhood special and memorable. Whether it was building snowmen, kayaking, constructing a tree fort, teaching you how to drive, or cheering at sports events – Lyle was all in. This was especially evident in his love for hockey and his support of Andrew during the years that he played competitively. Recollections of special memories also included VERY lengthy bike rides with his children, as well as the notorious Christmas morning “hunts” that had Aaron, Liza, and Andrew completing tasks at various friend’s houses up and down River Road!

Lyle’s family will remember him for the connections they had – whether it was a heart to heart while doing the dishes at the Hunting Camp, kayaking with his friend Larry at the cottage on the Bay of Quinte, his daily phone call with his mother, or enjoying a family holiday with the Hamilton clan in North Carolina, Lyle had a way of making you feel like you were the most important person in the world – every gathering meant having an individual catch up with Lyle. Lyle’s ability to connect was also experienced by his new community at Stonemont in Ottawa, where he rapidly became a fixture, running a food drive alongside Francine, a fundraiser for staff Christmas bonuses, and joining the welcoming committee for new residents. His gentle and enthusiastic presence will be missed by everyone there.

While his journey has ended, Lyle is survived by a large family that will remember him – his children Aaron (Rachelle), Liza (Martin), and Andrew (Alicia), his mother, Mary (father Ralph, pre-deceased), siblings Murray (Susan), and Janice Hutchings (Warren). His grandchildren, Owen, Jonah, Catherine, Isla, and Carter will always know that their grandpa championed them whenever the opportunity arose. A lifetime of shared memories are held by his first partner and wife Judy, and more recent ones by his current partner Francine. He is also missed by his nieces and nephews Adam, Scott, Sarah, Breanna, and Lauren, as well as many on Judy’s side of the family that grew up with Lyle as their uncle and brother-in-law.

Lyle was a medical professional, so he would not want ambiguous words about his end. Although he had struggled with Parkinson’s disease for a number of years, Lyle succumbed to a rare case of bacterial meningitis, something that could not be anticipated. If he was here, Lyle would have emphatically thanked the team that cared so diligently for him at Monfort in his last hours, as well as Francine and his family for being by his side.

A service for Lyle will be held at the Dows Lake Pavillion (1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway Ottawa), on August 30th at 1pm. If wished, donations can be made in Lyle’s name to Parkinson’s Canada.