Former Hamilton fire captain Claude Fant dies; was also photography buff

He and his camera never were far apart, his wife, Julia said.

“That was his great joy,” she said.

Fant, who graduated from Hamilton High School in 1956, thoroughly enjoyed taking pictures at class reunions, whether that was at Hamilton and Badin high schools, his wife said. He also loved photographing his grandchildren so they affectionately called him “GrandPaparazzi.”

The Fants met while he was a student at Heidelberg University. They were married for 63 years.

“We disagreed,” his wife said. “But we never fought. He was so easy to live with.”

When asked what she will miss the most about her husband, there was silence on the phone. A few seconds later, she said: “Just him.”

A veteran of the U.S. Army, Fant served one year on the Hamilton Police Department, then, after learning firefighters worked one day, then were off for two days, he switched to the Hamilton Fire Department. He served for 30 years, retiring as a captain in 1992.

Working as a fireman gave Fant more time to fish, said his wife, 82.

Aside from his wife, he is survived by two daughters, Laura (John) Luken, Cincinnati, and Jennifer (John) Gillman, Fairfield Twp.; daughter-in-law, Cindy Fant, Fairfield Twp.; sister, Norma (William) Goodwin, Venice, Fla.; grandchildren, Maxwell (Megan) Luken, Michelle Luken, Mitchell Luken, Matthew (Katie) Fant, Rachel (Matthew) Helmers, Jessica (Jeremy Blanton) Fant, Aaron Gillman and Noah Gillman; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his son, Butler County Sheriff Deputy David Fant, who died in 2018.

Funeral services were held last week and handled by Weigel Funeral Home.