Rex Hamilton was born March 26, 1947, in Solo, Mo., to Emerson and Clara (Christeson) Hamilton. He passed away at his home in Elk Creek, Mo., on May 5, 2023, at the age of 76.
Rex grew up in the Solo community where he gained a love for nature and agriculture. He spent many hours of his youth roaming the Ozark hills hunting coons, gigging frogs, and picking blackberries. He was also a member of the Solo Night Riders, a group that rode horses together. While Rex was a boy, his parents owned and operated the Solo store and post office, and they also farmed. Rex’s parents and family attended New Hope Baptist Church in Solo, where he accepted Jesus into his life. He continued in service to his Lord and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at New Hope until the time of his death.
Rex attended Houston schools and graduated in 1965. Rex served in the Army infantry during the Vietnam War. He was stationed on the Japanese Island of Okinawa at the munitions depot. After the Army, Rex worked for the Soil Conservation Service, now called the Natural Resources
Conservation Service. He was an engineering technician for 18 years. He surveyed, designed, and laid out ponds, and other agricultural projects. There he met Amy Steck while giving her engineering training as a soil conservationist. Her writing, not neat enough for survey notes, required Rex to give her a handwriting course. Before finishing the course, they were married on July 10, 1981. When Rex’s position with SCS required moving, he and Amy decided to stay on the family farm and continue raising cattle and began to harvest warm-season grass seed for sale. This effort was a true partnership and a shared passion between Rex and Amy. This morphed into Hamilton Native Outpost, a native grass and wildflower seed business that also raises cattle and bison. Rex gained a love for native plants and a deep understanding of Missouri’s prairies and glades as he harvested native seeds from them for over 35 years. Many native plants were also grown on the Hamilton farm, near Solo, where he and his family acquired knowledge. Rex loved the land and loved to work, even doing controlled burns until a couple of weeks before his passing.
Rex leaves a legacy in many ways. He practiced low-stress stockmanship with livestock and enjoyed sharing this with his family and many others. He loved Missouri’s prairies and glades and shared his knowledge about their plants and animals. Over time, Rex gained a keener understanding of the natural history of the Ozarks as he combined his knowledge of plants, his experience in agriculture, reading about Native Americans and the stories told by his family who had long been in the Ozarks. He loved telling stories about the land and its history. Rex was also passionate about recreating native grasslands for the purpose of grazing livestock and saw great hope in these Diverse Native Grasslands for Missouri’s land, ranchers and wildlife. Rex kept a five-generation tradition alive in the community of growing and cooking down sorghum syrup. This tradition lives on today with his children and grandchildren. Rex’s quiet expression of his faith in God also leaves a legacy in his community and family.
Rex and Amy have three children: Elizabeth (Loren) Steele, Colt (Amber) Hamilton and Brooke (Joe) Kipp. Grandchildren brought Rex happiness and purpose, and they are: Tanner, Clare and Easton (deceased) Hamilton, Clementine, Jacob and Otis Steele, Scout Kipp and a new Kipp granddaughter due to arrive soon. Rex also had many friends in agriculture, natural resources and the Solo community.
Rex will be buried at the New Hope Cemetery, where he served for many years as secretary and treasurer.
Services will be at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 12 th at New Hope Baptist Church in Solo. A potluck meal will follow, as well as, a sharing of memories around a campfire, so bring a lawn chair if you like.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Hope Baptist Church or the New Hope Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to Evans Funeral Home, Houston. Online condolences may be left at www.evansfh.com.
PAID
I wqs office manager for Hamilton Seeds for two years, in 1998 and 1999. I feel that I gained more practical knowledge sbout native plants in those two years than I would have in a 4 year college education. Rex, who affectionately spelled it Wrecks as an inspiration and great teacher. i’ll never forget him and his family eor the rest of my life!