Swayn Gray Hamlet

Swayn Gray Hamlet 89 of Fayetteville, NC died on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022 at Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC with his beloved family by his side.

Swayn was born in Halifax County, NC on May 9th, 1933 to the late Carrie and Stephen Benjamin Hamlet, Sr. He grew up in Reidsville, NC where he enjoyed the Boy Scouts achieving his Eagle Scout.  He also enjoyed singing and music playing the saxophone and piano. After graduating from Reidsville High School, Swayn attended Louisburg College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During his college tenure, Swayn met the love of his life, Mary Helen Cooper. Their love led to a marriage of 64 years and the joy of a daughter Martha Elizabeth. 

Swayn was an entrepreneur at heart and first established a business as an optician in Wilson, NC where he enjoyed working with the medical profession and being active with various civic organizations.  After 12 years in Wilson, Swayn and his family moved to Fayetteville, NC as a Cumberland County industrial developer for the state of NC.  Swayn and his family were welcomed into the Fayetteville community joining Haymount United Methodist Church where Swayn and his wife served their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by mission work, member in-reach, and various church leadership roles. 

In his professional career and following his entrepreneurial drive, Swayn established a real estate appraiser business. Swayn also served many in the Fayetteville area through his leadership roles in the Realtor’s Association and Rotary Club.  He had a passion for supporting the military as a civilian business leader also. Swayn’s hobbies included his love of fishing at the NC coast, woodworking, clocks, refinishing antiques, and feeding birds. 

Swayn never knew a stranger with his warm inviting nature reaching out to anyone he encountered from waitress’s at Zorba’s, JK’s, and Hot Diggity Dog to those in his church visiting.  He loved his family and lived life to it’s fullest seeking to love and live for Jesus.  He will be missed, but it is certain that he now lives in heaven in reunion with family who have gone before him and with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Haymount United Methodist Church, 1700 Ft. Bragg Rd Fayetteville, NC 28303 with Rev. Allen Bingham, officiating. The family will receive friends at the Church on Saturday from 10-11:00 AM. A graveside service will be held on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at 3:00 PM at Maplewood Cemetery, 400 College St. NE, Wilson, NC 27893.

He is predeceased by his brother, Stephen Benjamin Hamlet, Jr., and niece, Elizabeth Joanne Leonard.

Swayn is survived by his wife of 64 years, Mary Helen Hamlet; daughter, Martha Hamlet Hipp and husband Junius “Budd” Hipp, Jr.; sister-in-law, Joanne Cox Hamlet; grandchildren, William Gray Hipp, John Stephen Hipp and wife Abigail, Mary Jeanne Hipp; niece, Mary Lisa Rodgers and nephew, Stephen Benjamin Hamlet, III.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.

Online condolences may be sent to http://www.jerniganwarren.com

Arrangements by Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home, 545 Ramsey St. Fayetteville, NC 28301.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Swayn Gray Hamlet, please visit our floral store.