Morehead State remembers longtime theatre costumer Kozy Hamilton

Morehead State University mourns the loss of Kyung Kozy Hamilton, who passed away on Monday, May 5, 2025. She was 94.

The Korean-born Hamilton was a fixture of MSU’s theatre department, serving as theatre costumer from 1987 until her retirement in 2010. A pianist and visual artist, her contributions behind the scenes to the success of numerous musicals and plays were only exceeded by the impact she had in the support and development of talent, skills, and knowledge of generations of MSU theatre students, many of which went on to have successful careers nationally and internationally.

“Sometimes I wonder, ‘Am I a teacher or am I a counselor?’ It’s all part of it,” Hamilton previously said. “I’m here to help students keep going.”

To honor Hamilton’s wishes to help further develop and improve MSU’s Costume Shop before her retirement, alumni, and friends of MSU theatre initiated the Kozy Campaign and established the Kozy Hamilton Endowment Fund in 2000 to raise $20,000 for purchasing equipment and supplies. Then-Morehead Mayor Bradley Colins declared Dec. 15 “Kozy Hamilton Day,” proclaiming her as “one of the most willing, competent, creative and inspirational individuals to have ever been associated with the MSU theatre.”

A memorial and celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Contributions can be made to the Kozy Campaign at https://alumni.moreheadstate.edu/kozyhamilton.

Photo: Kozy Hamilton pictured with Se Layne (Class of 1992), the daughter of MSU theatre professors Dr. William & Sylvia Layne.