It is with heavy heart that I share news of the death of Graland lifetime trustee Frederic C. Hamilton, 89. Following a brief illness, Fred died peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, on Friday evening, September 30, 2016.

Sunday’s newspaper chronicles Fred’s legion of business and philanthropic accomplishments during a nearly three-score-and-ten year career. To say he was a visionary leader - astute, determined and great-hearted - is a true understatement. However, these reports cannot describe the full extent of Fred’s achievements as a pioneer in the oil and gas industry and later in The Hamilton Companies, nor can they do justice to the depth of Fred’s devotion to myriad non-profit organizations throughout Colorado and the United States. Graland Country Day School is fortunate to have numbered among these.

Fred’s dedication to Graland is unsurpassed. He and his wife, Jane, first joined the Graland community in the mid-1960s when they enrolled their two younger sons, Crawford ’75 and Thomas ’77. Daughter Christy, and older son Fred, Jr., were already in high school. As a member of the Graland Board of Trustees since 1970 and later, as a lifetime trustee, Fred has guided the School with clarity and wisdom for over 46 years.

During his tenure on the board, Fred led or served on every committee many times over and generously supported countless initiatives on behalf of Graland. Nonetheless, Graland has benefited over time from Fred’s prescient leadership in three transformational Board of Trustee decisions. In 1991, Fred chaired Graland’s first capital campaign, The 21st Century Fund, an $8.5 million effort that initiated a process of campus renewal which continues to this day. Secondly, in developing the Frederic C. Hamilton Endowment Fund, and later, in collaboration with other school leaders, Graland's Fund for Excellence, Fred ensured that Graland would have the resources to attract and retain the very best and the brightest faculty and staff. Finally, in 1993, Fred led the Board of Trustees in establishing the Graland Country Day School Foundation to manage and administer Graland’s endowment funds, thus securing Graland’s long-term financial sustainability. Nearly a quarter century later, the corpus of this endowment has grown to nearly $30 million. What a legacy!

Graland Board Presidents have benefited greatly from Fred’s encouragement, his insights and his occasional cautions. Board President, John Gowen commented that “Fred’s leadership, energy and philanthropy will be sorely missed by Graland and our wider community. His passion for our students and faculty will continue to be an inspiration to us all. We will surely miss his sound judgment, wise counsel and sense of humor.”

As Head of School, the Board of Trustees meetings just won’t be the same for me without the esteemed gentleman seated to my left. I will miss Fred Hamilton dearly. As his fellow trustee, and good friend, Scott Reiman, commented, he was “one of a kind.”

Please join me in offering our condolences to Jane, his daughter and sons, and his ten grandchildren. A memorial service to honor Fred will be held Thursday, October 6, at 5 p.m. at the Denver Art Museum (100 W 14th Ave Pkwy).