Edward "Eddie" Murry Hamilton, Jr.

Edward Murry “Eddie” Hamilton, Jr., of Reagan, passed away on Friday, May 22, 2026, at age 67.

Visitation will be Friday, May 29, 2026, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2026, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Ricky Waller officiating. Burial will follow in Blue Ridge Cemetery.

Following the interment, a meal will be served at the Kosse Community Center.

Pallbearers will be Ronnie Neumann, Ronnie Pettigrew, Kendall Funderburk, Hunter Hamilton, Alex Hamilton, and Stephen Jones.

Honorary pallbearers will be Cy Burnett, Ace Burnett, David Pruitt, all Masons, and Deacons of Kosse First Baptist Church.

Eddie was born December 4, 1958, to Edward Murry Hamilton, Sr. and Virginia Ann (McDonald) Hamilton in Baytown. He grew up in Hempstead, and while he was in high school, he worked at local gas stations, graduating from Hempstead High School.

Eddie and Peggy Sue Koch, his high school sweetheart, were united in marriage on June 16, 1978, in Hempstead, where they made their home. He worked in construction and a few years later, drove an 18-wheeler delivering gas all over the Houston area, and later worked for the City of Hempstead. Eddie was a naturally talented mechanic and operated a mechanic shop from his home all the time that he also worked other jobs.

In December 1994, Eddie and Peggy Sue moved to Reagan, where he had a ranch, and a mechanic shop at his home. In later years he had been working as a heavy equipment operator.

Eddie grew up loving trains all his life; in school, when he heard a train whistle, he would jump over and go to the window to watch it. He especially loved all steam trains, and he and Peggy took many trips to ride steam trains in Colorado on the Royal Gorge; in Canada, where he talked his way into them allowing he and Peggy to ride in the Engine. They also enjoyed Arkansas, and the train at Palestine, TX. They rode Amtrack from Temple to New York and back two years ago. Even the grandchildren loved watching trains with him on TV and he had a whole room in his house with nothing in it but trains.

Eddie’s other passion was drag-racing. He owned and drove race cars. While the boys were in school, although they had never missed a day of school before, they missed 4 days of school when the Houston drag race track opened so the whole family could attend.

In 2009, at age 50, Eddie became a member of Masonic Lodge #152 of Marlin, and a plural member of Bremond Lodge #350, Eutaw Lodge #233 in Kosse, Howard Lee Vann Lodge #144 at Bremond, and Buffalo Lodge #554, and an endowed member at the Marlin and Buffalo Lodges. He was a Past Master of four Lodges – Marlin, Bremond, Eutaw and the Howard Lee Vann Lodge at Bremond, and served in every lodge office available except Treasurer and Musician. He was currently serving as Secretary of Marlin and Senior Warden of Eutaw Lodges. He also served as a Grand Lodge of Texas Officer for three separate Masonic districts, which is a rare distinction. In 2023, he became a Master of the 32nd. degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite in Waco. He enjoyed 16 ½ years of service to his family, communities and brother Masons.

Eddie was a Deacon of the First Baptist Church of Kosse. He loved his boys dearly and loved his grandchildren. In fact, he loved all kids. There were 3 children that he and Peggy babysat, who became his grandchildren too.

From his life of serving and giving so much love and good memories, Eddie will be lovingly remembered by those who knew him.

Eddie was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Matthew Hamilton.

He is survived by his wife, Peggy Hamilton of Reagan; son, Edward “Eddie” Hamilton III of Thornton; son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Kayla Hamilton of Groesbeck; and daughter, Tasha Czajkoski; grandchildren, Allyson Hamilton, Alex Hamilton, Hailey Hamilton, Hunter Hamilton, Cy Burnet, Ace Burnett, and David Pruitt; and great grandchild, Trevor (Bo Boo) Bynum. He is also survived by his sister, Rebecca Woolever.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations in memory of Eddie to the Masonic Lodge of Kosse, Howard Lee Vann Lodge of Bremond, Marlin or Buffalo, or the First Baptist Church of Kosse.