Hamilton Breton

Hamilton Bretón passed away on May 31, 2023 in Elk Grove, CA. He is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Ruth Bretón, and his children Leslie, Leila, and Gayle; sons and daughter in laws Bartolo Alvarado, Adam Swift, and Amanda DeBusk. Along with his six favorite grandchildren: Luis Alvarado, Julian Alvarado, AnaLucia Alvarado, Marco Petrusa, Julieta Petrusa, and Isabella Bretón-Swift. 

Born on March 15, 1940, in Bucaramanga, Colombia, Hamilton dedicated his life to service to the Baha’i Faith, his community, education, and his family. He imbued every handshake with kindness and generosity and undeniably spread joy and kindness as far and wide as he could go. An avid storyteller, he would regale those around him with tales of the many adventures and travels of his full life. 

Hamilton was a teacher for 25 years, caring for each of his students with the purest love, sharing his curiosity about how things worked with his many science experiments, and the joy of learning through puppetry. He would not only embrace each student, but their families as well – often forming lifelong bonds.  

Hamilton’s heart saw no bounds, welcoming strangers into his home and having them leave as family, changing many lives for the better. He will be deeply missed, and his legacy will live on in the many smiles, accomplishments, songs, and dad jokes of those who loved him, qualities which made him part of who he will forever be in our hearts and memories. 

Funeral services will be held on June 7, 2023, at 10:00am PDT at the East Lawn Funeral Home in Elk Grove, California. 

Donations can be made to your local public schools and/or the Alzheimer’s Association.