About This Memory Space
This page was created for Marian Jean Hampton's family and friends as a place to remember them, to share stories, and to keep their memory close in everyday life.
It is cared for and added to over time by the people who knew them, and everyone is invited to contribute, whether that is a story, a photo, a few words, or a simple note.
Many families visit places like this not just once, but again and again, especially on quiet days or meaningful anniversaries. This page is here for those moments, wherever you are.
A place to return to when you want to feel close again, to remember a moment, or to leave a few words for others to read. Over time, it grows through the voices of everyone who knew and loved them.
Light a Candle Growing
Light a candle to honor Marian Jean Hampton's memory. Each lighting keeps their memory burning bright for 23 hours.
Candle lit burns 23 hours. Come back and light it again after 23 hours to keep the memory burning.
Limited to 5 lightings per hour to prevent abuse.
Memory Wall Growing
Stories, photos, and memories shared by people who knew Marian Jean Hampton. This is the heart of this space—a collection that grows as more people contribute.
No memories posted yet. Be the first to share a story or memory.
Life & Legacy
Marian Jean Hampton enchanted everyone she met with her radiant smile and infectious joy, leaving an indelible mark on family, friends, and communities from Alabama to Michigan and Indiana.
Born in Wetumpka, Alabama, to Joe Nathan Cotton and Waymon Gildey, Marian grew up amid a large family of seven siblings. Early in life, she was raised by her aunt Anne Jones and uncle Joe Jones in Detroit, Michigan, shaping her resilient spirit. A graduate of Northwestern High School, she navigated love's joys and sorrows—first with Harold Coleman, with whom she shared two children before his untimely death, then with Myron 'Butch' Hamilton, who brought her to Indianapolis and gave her a blended family, including a son and his daughter whom she cherished as her own. After their divorce, she found enduring companionship with Charles Hampton for three decades until his passing in 2021, weaving their families together through shared adventures.
Marian's professional path reflected her versatility and dedication, with roles at International Harvester, La Petite child care, Kmart, and Community East Hospital—where she spent her final days. Yet she often beamed with pride that her truest calling was nurturing her children alongside Myron, a role she held above all others.
Photos of Marian's Life
Family & Loved Ones
Marian wove a tapestry of connections that spanned blended families, lifelong friendships, and joyful gatherings, always radiating warmth that drew people close. She embraced Tonita Garrett as her own daughter while raising son Darryl Hamilton with Myron, and later harmonized with Charles Hampton's children Ken, Tonya, and Shawn, plus his siblings Albert, William, Helen, and Clentella, along with countless nieces and nephews. Treasured road trips, Circle City Classics events, and reunions filled their days with laughter. Survivors include her children Harold M. Cotton, Tonita Garrett, Tracey D. Cotton, and Darryl Hamilton; grandchildren Eric M. Cotton, Carl M. Cotton, Devin A. Hamilton, James 'Trey' Garrett III, and Raleigh M. Hamilton; and her last remaining sibling, Willie Mae Baker.
Remembered by Friends & Family
Echoes from Marian's circle highlight her magnetic personality and the quiet strength she lent to every relationship, painting her as a beacon of happiness amid life's twists.
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