Dwight Hamilton, a one-time powerful leader of Colorado Republicans, died Sunday at age 76.
Hamilton was a prominent attorney and former state and county Republican party chairman.
Former U.S. Sen. Bill Armstrong, R-Colo., praised Hamilton as a man of integrity, ideals, energy, conviction and influence.
“He wasn’t in politics for the power or to get his cronies jobs,” said Armstrong, a Hamilton friend for 40 years.
“He was in politics because of his basic convictions and ideals,” Armstrong said, adding that when he heard of his friend’s death, “I offered a prayer of thanksgiving for the life of Dwight Hamilton.”
He said Hamilton was a calming voice “among warring factions” in the Republican party and served as party leader in the days when chairmen had much more power than today. “He encouraged me to run. And when the crunch came, he helped me win.”
Hamilton was a “steady” father and slow to anger, said his son, Scott Hamilton of San Francisco. But there were annoyances. “The No. 1 offense was to make him late for a Bronco game.”
Besides his avid interest in all sports, Hamilton was a dedicated Christian Scientist, liked the symphony and opera, fly- fishing and golfing, and was an avid vegetable gardener, said his wife, Elizabeth Hamilton.
He was dedicated to the Masons, and during the time he was president of the Scottish Rite Foundation it granted almost $13 million to help children with speech and language difficulties.
Dwight Alan Hamilton was born in Denver on Aug. 21, 1928, graduated from South High School and earned a basketball scholarship to Colorado College in Colorado Springs. He earned a degree in history and political science there and his law degree at the University of Denver.
He was awarded a Purple Heart as a Marine in the Korean War.
He met Elizabeth Folds, an airline hostess from Kankakee, Ill., and they married May 4, 1952.
He joined the law firm of Fuller & Evans, which later became Hamilton & Faatz, where he practiced for 50 years.
The late Gov. John Love appointed Hamilton to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, a commission that works to promote uniform laws in all 50 states.
Besides his wife and son, he is survived by another son, Alan Hamilton of Santa Fe; two daughters, Cami Dalton of Anchorage, Alaska, and Elizabeth Stephens of Denver; six grandchildren; and one sister, Claire Hamilton of Wheat Ridge.
Staff writer Virginia Culver can be reached at 303-820-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com.
