California Girl - 1920's Version

1943 - Dorothy Faye Hamilton Kerr

My mother, Dorothy Faye Hamilton, was born August 26, 1920 in Santa Monica, California. The first child of Colorado natives William Hamilton and Faye Nye Hamilton. William was a construction worker specializing in concrete and stone masonry while Faye was the typical, for the times, stay at home wife and mother. Dorothy attended the Christian Science Church with her parents and graduated from the Santa Monica High School in 1938. She loved the beach and ocean and was active in Girls Baseball and Volleyball. During these high school years, summers were spent with her family working at various locations in the agriculture fields of California and Oregon picking everything from Oranges to Hops. She worked in the employee cafeteria kitchens of the Douglas Aircraft Company until marrying Joe Lee Kerr on February 25, 1940.  

The story goes that Dorothy would walk past the gas station where Joe worked.  They said hello a few times and then went on a few dates. This lead to their marriage in 1940. They lived in a rental house at 654 1^st Street, Hermosa Beach as Dad now managed a service station on Pacific Coast Highway and North Catalina Ave in Redondo Beach. This would come to an end as he entered the Army as a Private on February 1, 1943. 

Mom and me and Sox (her dog)

By the end of WWII I had been born and a home was being established in Redondo Beach California.  Mom quickly became involved in community activities and eventually lead to being a precinct captain.  Every election brought neighbors to our house as their designated polling place.  Then came Little League baseball.  Her love of sports in general and baseball specifically was

instilled in me and my brothers.  She loved being involved in every aspect of the baseball program.  By now she has 4 boys to watch over and with each year her involvement seemed to double.  All of us learned from her the personal joy and fulfillment of service to others. 

She has been gone from this earth 34 years but never from my heart.