Janet Rae Hamilton

Janet Rae Hamilton passed on. A service of remembrance for Janet will be held Saturday, February 2, 2013 at 4:00 p.m. in the Claybar Kelley-Watkins Chapel in Beaumont. A gathering of friends and family will begin at 2:00 p.m. Saturday prior to the service.

Janet was born in Big Spring, Texas on October 20, 1950 to John R. and Ruth Brown Steadmon. She graduated from Odessa High School in 1969. Janet attended Texas Woman's University TWU where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. While in Denton she met and married her soul mate and love of her life, Jeffrey N. Hamilton. They married on April 29, 1973 at Little Chapel in the Woods on the TWU campus, and loved each other very deeply for almost 41 years.

Preceded in passing by her parents, brothers: Harold and Wayne Steadmon, and Bob Young . She is survived by her husband, Jeff Hamilton, the sun rays of her life, her children: daughter-Sally Hamilton Alex Martinez, son-Jeffrey J.J. Hamilton, Jr. In addition she is survived by her sister-Sherri Herrera Roman of Denton, brothers-Larry Young Sondra of Houston, Jerry Young Mary of Copperas Cove, John Steadmon Innie, and Mike Steadmon Belinda of Odessa, mother in law- Margaret Jane Hamilton Donald of Denton, sister in law- Lynne Leake Gay of Denton, great aunt in law Betty Schnorr Maurice of Dallas, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Janet attended Texas Woman's University TWU, graduating in 1974 with a B.S. degree in Nursing. She went on to earn her Masters Degree in Oncology Nursing from U.T. Houston.

Janet first worked as a labor and delivery nurse at U. S. Darnell Army Hospital, Fort Hood, Texas, and later as a charge nurse on Medical Surgical Unit at Orange Memorial Hospital, Orange, Texas. At Lamar University Beaumont, in 1978, Janet was a clinical instructor in both the Associate Degree and Vocational Nursing programs. In 1980 she joined the staff of St. Elizabeth Hospital of Beaumont, Texas. Janet started as a Staff nurse and worked her way to Staff Instructor, then became the Oncology Clinical Coordinator. In 1987 she accepted a position at Lamar State College - Orange as an Assistant Professor and Program Director for the Vocational Nursing Program.

Janet was instrumental in developing and implementing the Upward Mobility Nursing Program in Southeast Texas. She also briefly worked for the Louisiana Community Medical College, Lake Charles, Louisiana as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs/R.N Coordinator and at HealthCor, Beaumont, Texas as a home health nurse. In 1998 she was hired at Lamar State College - Port Arthur to be the Chair of the Allied Health Department. Under her tenure the nursing department received 7 accommodations from the Texas Board of Nursing for academic excellence.

Janet started the Academic Partnerships on-line LVN to RN Nursing Program. It was the first program of this type in the state of Texas. This program is now the largest two-year nursing program in Texas. Janet received Seven Faculty Staff Incentive Awards from Lamar State College – Port Arthur. In 2011 she received the Julie and Ben Rogers Award.

Janet served as state President in two Nurse Educator Associations: Texas Association of Deans and Directors of Professional Nursing Programs and was the President Elect of the Texas Organization of Associate Degree Nursing Programs. She was also a member of TAVNE – Texas Association of Vocational Nurse Educators.

Janet's interest in education was not limited to nursing. She also served on the West Orange Cove Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees from 1992 – 2001.

Her hobbies included sewing, crocheting, and cross-stitching. She had a voracious appetite for reading.

Janet's other jobs included being an amazing mom, costuming someone in almost all her kid's plays, making rice krispie treats for school fundraisers even though she hated marshmallows, and being the designated laugher for the West Orange Stark High School's Black Box Theater.