David Lawrence Hamilton born May 25, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois grew up in Evanston, with his parents, Lawrence and Gloria and his brother, Aaron. He attended Lincoln Elementary, Nichols Middle School and graduated from Evanston Township in 1991. He spent a year at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri.

He was raised in a loving home surrounded by extended family, good food, books, music, visits to museums, zoos and road trips and watching the Bulls. They were members of Cosmopolitan Community Church in Chicago; he was baptized at age of ten. He served in the junior church and participated in Easter, Christmas, Black History month plays and youth Sundays. He was known for his ability to speak, memorize and never forget his lines. He moved his membership to Second Baptist in Evanston and was active in the Youth Action Ministry (YAM).
In 1995, he joined the US Army Reserve 685th Transportation Company in Hobart, Indiana. He reenlisted several times and served during "Operation Enduring Freedom." While stationed in Iraq, he told his friends that if he survived, he wanted to be an actor. After being honorably discharged he pursued an acting career at Chicago State University (CSU) majoring in communications, media arts and theatre. When classmates needed someone for their movies or plays he volunteered; he was in "A Soldier's Story" because he had experienced military life. He worked at FedEx and continued taking acting classes where he met playwrights and directors.

His first major role was in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (Chase Park Theatre). Next came "A Lesson Before Dying" (Lincoln Square Theatre) where he played Grant Williams. The play was Jeff-recommended. From then on, he was in plays at Chicago's Black Ensemble, Stage Left and Sideshow Theatres which included Hela (dedicated to the memory of Henrietta Lacks). For this performance he was nominated for The Ossie Davis Award by the Black Theater Alliance for "best featured actor in a play." In 2021 he had a major role in the movie 'Ghostwriter' written by Jim Lynch, directed by Tim Miller. His last performance in March 2023 was a staged reading of Calvin Alexander Ramsey's award-winning play, The Green Book at the Illinois Holocaust Museum.

David loved his family. He would take them to Walker Brothers Pancake House. Christmas was his holiday; he bought lots of gifts and wrapped them perfectly. He and his brother had "heated" debates about sports. He was born on his parent's anniversary; they never forgot his birthday and he never forgot their anniversary. They always had pizza.  From age twenty-five, David suffered from diabetes. He will be missed by his parents, Lawrence and Gloria, his brother Aaron (Dema), nephew Dash Maher, niece Surrayha Sabbara, aunts Willa Hennings, Melba Wilson, Carol Robinson (Neich) uncle William McMillian (Janie); his first cousins Garland Hennings, Jr. (Shelia); Damon (Sharon) and Steven Wilson; Derrick Charles, William Henry (Tiffany) Yulonda, Charles (Melissa) and Kimberly McMillian; Portia and Nicholas (Erica) Robinson and cousins in the Hennings, Pruitt, Turner, Robinson and McMillian families.

A memorial service is planned on his birthday May 25 at Sherman UMC when friends and family can remember David and afterwards eat pizza.