Richard Hamilton

Richard Hamilton, known a s “ Dick,” of Rutland, died Feb. 8, 2018, with his family by his side.

He was born on Sept. 15, 1928, in Summit, N . J . , t h e youngest son of five children of Harry Thomas and Dorothy Crawford Hamilton, where he grew up until his marriage to Ann “Winkie” Bigelow Hamilton in 1954.

He graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1946, and Yale University in 1950, where he was a member of the Whiffenpoofs, the renowned university a cappella group, in both his junior and senior years. This affiliation brought him great singing opportunities and marvelous friends in his ensuing years. While living in Rutland, Dick continued his love for singing with the Curbstone Chorus.

In December1950, Dick enlisted in the U.S. Army and served with the Army Counterintelligence Corps in Wurzburg, Germany, subsequently returning to civilian life in 1953.

After they married, Dick and Winkie moved to western Canada where he was in the construction business with one of his brothers until 1960. In the summer of 1960, they moved to Seattle where Dick joined Larry Smith & Co., real estate consultants. He was transferred to Toronto, Canada, in 1963 to build the Canadian division of the company. After serving successfully in this capacity until 1967, Dick took ownership of W-W Urban Consultants Limited, primarily specialist consultants to shopping center developers and urban planning and development offices across Canada.

In 1974, the family returned to the U.S. and lived for the next 25 years at their beloved farm in Springfield, VT. From 1974 to 1984, Dick continued his Canadian consulting work by “commuting” from Springfield to Toronto and back every alternate week. He had sold the firm in 1980 to a commercial real estate firm, A.E. LePage Limited, and worked with that firm until returning to the U.S. on a full-time basis in 1984.

Fishing was his great love, and he was fortunate in being able to cast his flies on many of the revered trout and salmon rivers and lakes throughout the world. Along with many U.S. waters, his fishing travels extended to the Gaspe Peninsula, Patagonia, Kamchatka, Russia, New Zealand, Tibet, Iceland, Norway, British Columbia, Alaska and the U.K.

Survivors include his wife, Winkie; and his sons Thomas B. Hamilton, his wife, Gillian, and children Jamie, Ben and Oliver, of Chittenden, VT, Matthew S. Hamilton, his wife, Rosemarie, and children Katie and Elizabeth, of Wentzville, MO, John C. Hamilton, his wife, Pamela, and children Stephen, Sarah and Meghan, of Rutland Town, VT.

His oldest son, Richard “Rick” Jr., died of a brainstem tumor in 1987. Dick was also predeceased by his three brothers and his sister.

His family will welcome friends at the Tossing Funeral Home from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 12, 2018. There will be a celebration of his life on Saturday, March 24, 2018, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m at the Rutland Country Club.

At Dick’s request, there will be no services.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to: Green Mountain Fly Tyers Club, c/o Charles Whitehair, 205 North Church St., Rutland, VT 05701; or Mendon Fish & Game, c/o Rick Putnam, P.O.Box 752, Rutland, VT 05702.

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