Mr. John Edward Hamlin

HAMLIN, Mr. John Edward - Age 75, passed away Monday, January 25, 2016 at Briarwood Manor. Family hour 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 30, 2016 at House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church, 1851 W. Carpenter Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 a.m. Pastor Kenneth L. Stewart officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and family will assemble at the church 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Mr. Hamlin will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m. Friday. Mr. John Edward Hamlin was born September 15, 1940 in Kimberly, West Virginia, the son of Marvin Hamlin and Carrie Allen. John was known to friends and family as “J-Ham” and “Poppee” as he was known by his grandchildren. He attended Kimberly Elementary and Powellton Elementary before moving to Flint, Michigan in 1953. He attended Emerson Elementary then Flint Northern High School where he graduated in 1960. His first job was at a car wash and a bowling alley; he also began doing odd jobs with his father at a young age such as working on houses and yard work. John worked for General Motors for 30 plus years, retiring in 2000. Poppee was a jack of all trades from plumbing to gardening. Mr. Hamlin loved to fish with his son, grandsons, and friends. He went to Canada at least twice a year to fish with friends taking one of his favorite boats of the year. Mr. Hamlin’s other past time was his garden that he shared with his buddy Jerry (Ragman) Bolan. His garden was always ready for the summer so he could pass out his specialties which were zucchini bread, pickles, salsa, collard greens, purple hull peas, and green tomatoes that everyone loved. John also loved watching western movies, the fishing channel, Matlock, and In The Heat of the night. He could tell you about any car that was made in his time, he enjoyed motorcycles, especially his Harley Davidson, as well as any type of boat. He even raced a few cars in his younger days and that was a story he loved to tell. His favorite car was a red GTO among several other cars he has owned in his lifetime, it was nothing for him to go buy the car he desired even the Gold Focus. John loved working on cars and telling you how to work on your own vehicle. John went above and beyond helping others with cutting grass, shoveling snow, fixing cars, electrical, plumbing and sometime even cooking, but remember you had to do it his way “not your way” for it to be correct; he would accept anything sweet as payment. Mr. John Edward Hamlin leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Sybil Hamlin; 2 daughters, Monica (Reuben) Thomas of Flint, and Adrian (Josh) Rhone of Jonesville, LA; Son, Rashawn “Nikki” (Sheneka) Hamlin; 11 Grandchildren, Jamaar, Jazzmyn, and Efrem Blackwell, Rashawn, Breasia, and Daylin Hamlin, Sanaii and Rihanna, all of Flint, Whitney, Lorenzo, and Lawrence, all of Jonesville, LA; 3 great-grandchildren, including Rashawn Jondell Hamlin III; 3 sisters Marvina (Ray) Diem and Omega Boylston, both of Flint and Janet Mustafa of Arizona; a host of nieces, nephews, special cousins other relatives and friends including special friends, Dr. Linda Itson, Julius Ross, Jerry Bolan, Don Robinson, Jessie Johnson, Gary Redmond and Herman Byrd “Big Hank.” Mr. Hamlin was preceded in death by his parents, Marvin and Carrie Hamlin; and brother-in-law, Oscar Boylston. The family would like to express special thanks to McLaren Medical Center, McLaren Cancer Institute, Briarwood of Heartland Manor, Julius Ross, and Louis and Calvin Boylston.

Mr. John Edward Hamlin

September 15, 1940 - January 25, 2016