Roger Hamilton

Roger Hamilton, 65, of Linton, IN, died on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at IU Bloomington Hospital. His story began on March 31, 1960, in Oblong, IL. He grew up in Robinson, IL, and played football through his high school years. For a (very) short time, he ran track, that is, until he realized his coach expected him to run all the way out to Murray’s farm north of the Country Club. In his mind, Roger considered himself a sprinter, not a distance runner, and he knew himself well enough to quit on his own terms. That blend of self-assurance and hard-headed resolve would come to define him. After graduating from Robinson High School in 1978, he studied agronomy at Wabash Valley Community College, preparing to work alongside his family in their fertilizer business.

But Roger was never one to stay in one lane for long. He had a knack for reinventing himself every decade or so, and his career became a patchwork of chapters. He started with L. Gene Hamilton Fertilizer and Farm Service Company, then put in time at Marathon. From there, he jumped into the world of racing, where his longtime friendship with NASCAR legend Ken Schrader opened new doors. The two had been friends since the 1970s, when Schrader was hired to drive the Hamilton family’s midget race car. When Schrader graduated to the Winston Cup circuit in the mid-1980s, Roger came on board as general manager of Schrader’s team, a position he held for 11 years. After racing, Roger shifted gears once more, this time into the car business, establishing Linton Motors, LLC.

Later chapters included serving as sales manager for Terry Wiseman and Jay Anderson’s dealerships and, most recently, as Greene County Highway Superintendent. He took great pride in that work, earning his Road Builder Certification in 2018 and his Master Road Builder Certification from Purdue University’s Local Technical Assistance Program in 2021. Recognized as Indiana’s Highway Superintendent of the Year in 2021, Roger was respected by his peers as a common-sense leader, one who pushed for better funding, stronger bridges, and smarter ways forward for Greene County.

Roger wasn’t just a man of work, though he approached everything with the same stubborn willpower. He could fix just about anything he set his mind to (unless it involved electrical work, which he’d just as soon leave to someone else). He could look at something, see how it worked, and know what it needed. He was funny, witty, and hard-headed, sometimes all at the same time. It was his way or no way, and that stubborn streak served him well both in the office and in life.

Roger was deeply rooted in his community. He gave countless hours to organizations that mattered to him, including the Greene County Shrine Club, where he served as board president in 2016 and later as a trustee. He was also active in the Sullivan County Shrine Club, the Zorah Shrine Temple, the Linton Masonic Lodge, the Linton Elks Lodge, the Association of Indiana Counties, and the Scottish Rite Valley of Terre Haute.

He could be sharp-witted, quick with a joke or a cutting one-liner, but also the kind of man who would bring a crowd to tears singing “He Stopped Loving Her Today” at karaoke. “Sweet Caroline” was another favorite, and when he sang, people listened. A lover of sport, he was a lifelong fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, cheered on the Colts, and in his free time, he...attempted...to play golf. Watching his great-nieces and nephews play sports provided him with some of the happiest moments in his twilight years.

In every chapter of his life, Roger had a way of leaving his mark: on the roads he built, the friends he made, and the family he loved. His story was one of reinvention, resilience, and resolve, but more than anything, it was a story of a man who lived life his way, and left it fuller for those who knew him.

At the center of it all was his family. He married his high school sweetheart, Cheryl Bonnell, on November 7, 1981, and she survives. He is also survived by his siblings, Vickie & Steve Staley, Rick & Peggy Hamilton, and Tony & Michelle Hamilton; his father-in-law, Larry Bonnell; as well as several nieces, nephews, aunts, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, G. Ellis Hamilton & Ruby (Lindsey) Newbold, and his mother-in-law, Kay Bonnell.

A time of visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. (CST) on Monday, September 15th, at the Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. (CST) on Tuesday, September 16th, at the funeral home, with Cary Bonnell officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Greene County Shrine Club or to the Robinson Booster Club, with envelopes available at the funeral home.