In high school, Mary Adalyn Hamilton was voted Best Personality.
According to friends, who knew her as Addy, Hamilton could make anyone smile and never met a stranger.
Hamilton, a University of Alabama senior, passed away Feb. 13 – just four days shy of her birthday. She would have been 22.
Hamilton, who studied athletic training and was a trainer for the University’s softball team, was set to graduate in May 2013.
“She was full of life and so care free,” said Kristin Hamilton, Addy’s cousin. “She was the girl who would go to parties dressed in Nike shorts and a T-shirt and be the life of the party. She was nice to everyone and had more friends than anyone I know.”
Grace Boutwell, a close friend since middle school, echoed Kristin Hamilton’s memories of personable Addy – T-shirt and all.
“I remember her wearing a ribbon in her hair and a Dixie Outfitters shirt almost every day,” Boutwell said, describing their first year of school together in the eighth grade. “Addy was one of a kind. She truly did have the best personality. I don’t think you could be around Addy and not be happy.”
Kristin Hamilton said she and Addy were more like sisters than cousins. Both only children and only 18 months apart in age, Kristin Hamilton said they were “super-spoiled grandchildren.”
“We did a lot together always,” Kristin Hamilton said. “Most of my childhood, until we were in college, we spent entire summers together.”
Kristin Hamilton said while Addy was always energetic and carefree, she always made time for family.
“I always loved how she made a point to be at our grandparents’ for every family event, and how she would randomly stop by their house for dinner,” Kristin Hamilton said. “It made them so happy.”
For Boutwell, friendship with Addy involved a lot of high school sports and road trips.
“Addy was always our DJ. We would drive from Montgomery to Middle Tennessee State University for volleyball camp every year,” Boutwell said. “Everyone on the team wanted to be in the car with Addy because they knew it would be fun. She would always bring her huge stack of CDs and we would sing the whole way there. That was just the way she was – she could make any situation fun.”
For Boutwell, her memory of Addy can be summarized in one quote.
“Our volleyball coach summed it up when we visited Addy in the hospital. ‘God only made one Addy Hamilton, but the world would be a much better place if he made a million.’”
Kristin Hamilton, who eulogized her cousin at Sunday’s funeral, asked family and friends to remember Addy the way she would have wanted.
“As hard as some things are going to be, I’m going to celebrate her life the way she would want me to, and I know she would want all of her family and friends to do that as well,” she said. “So as you say your goodbyes today, remember that she is here and probably dancing in the aisles, and wanting us to join her in her celebration.”
