Fay Kathleen Hamlin Figley

In 1920, Fay was born in Berkeley California where she was also raised. She graduated from Berkeley High School in 1936 and went on to attend the University of San Francisco (then San Francisco State College) to obtain her degree in Elementary Education in 1942. Fay made friends easily and stayed very connected to many of her university friends for years afterwards. Fay began her teaching career in Lodi, California and taught there for several years before returning to Berkeley to go on to become a Reading Specialist for 1st-6th graders. Fay taught at Franklin, Washington, and Columbus Elementary Schools in Berkeley before retiring in 1985 at 65 years of age. Fay taught thousands of children to read over the course of her teaching career. Her love of children made for many great stories shared at family dinners and she enjoyed teaching or reading to her young nieces thru the years as well. Never having children of her own, Fay’s energy and time was often spent in taking her nieces fun places like Japanese Tea Garden, China Town dinners, the Zoo in San Francisco, Tilden Park Merry-go-Round, Eddies Café in Oakland for tea sandwiches, Ice Skating, and the Doll Hospital in San Francisco. Fay herself had attended Mt. Hermon Christian Camp as a teen and she made sure her nieces had the experience of going to camp there as well.

Fay was known for always helping people and sacrificially caring for the needs of others over her own. Her close friend since High School, Jackie Hetman, describes Fay as “always helping everybody.” Whether it was taking friends, aging parents or individuals to the doctor or running errands for someone in need, Fay was there to be kind always. Fay had a driver’s license until she was 100 yrs old when she was still getting herself and a friend to church. Fay was committed to her church and committed to the Lord Jesus and it showed in how she lived her life in service to others. She attended her church for 70 years teaching Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and playing the Organ and Piano for services. Fay had a beautiful singing voice and enjoyed singing in choir or in duets. Fay was exceptionally intelligent and even recently, Fay remembered everyone’s name and every detail of what other people were going thru. She loved to pray for others and read her Bible. Fay was cared for in her last month of life by a loving staff at Sunset Valley Hospice in Castro Valley…we are so grateful to especially Daphne for her loving care of her. She died peacefully at 101 yrs. Her family would like to thank her many kind neighbors who looked after Fay in the last 20 years. Thank you for bringing her meals and leaving a bag of fruit on her doorstep, for fixing her stairs and helping in the ways you were able. Fay’s wish was to live out her life in her home, on her own, and in her small community which she felt comfortable in and loved. Today, she lives in Heaven and we find peace in knowing she is home with her Savior.

Fay is survived by her nieces, Judy Guy of Carlsbad, Ca. and Claudia Jett of Lebanon Tenn., her Nephew David Hamlin of Loveland, CO., and her beloved Cousin Jim Lugg of Salinas. Fay is predeceased by her Brother Schuyler A. Hamlin, Sister-in-Law Shirley J. Hamlin, Mother Edna Hamlin, and Father Schuyler C. Hamlin.

In honor of Fay’s life, a Celebration of Life/Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, March 16th at 10am at Solano Community Church, 7200 Schmidt, El Cerrito, California.

Following the Memorial will be graveside internment at Sunset View Cemetery, 101 Colusa Ave. El Cerrito.

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