Robert K. Hamilton, 85, of Bellevue Washington died Saturday October 18th with his family by his side.
He was born Jan. 1st, 1929, in Mason City, Iowa to Floyd and Bertha Hamilton. He received his B.A. in English from Walla Walla College in 1955 and his M. A. in Educational Administration also from Walla Walla College in 1962.
He had three children from his first marriage- Robert K. Hamilton JR, Brian Hamilton and Doug Hamilton. Bob took his three children to Pakistan where he served the people there. He established what proved to be the first “Community College” on the Indian subcontinent in the province of West Pakistan. In cooperation with CARE representatives in West Pakistan, he developed a process for capturing methane gas from animal waste, a system which was then used for cooking and heating in rural areas.
In 1957 Robert was asked and agreed to serve as Minister for Minority Affairs in the first cabinet of Field Marshall Ayub Khan of Pakistan. In this capacity, he was also active in helping to develop a sweeping plan for the reform of Pakistani public education at all levels. This reform plan was later inaugurated by President Zulfidar Ali Bhutto.
Robert also served in Portland, Oregon at Portland Adventist Academy as principal and business manager for three years.
He was married to Patricia Hamilton. He then went on to be employed at the first urban Job Corps Center in Astoria, Oregon under the Kennedy-Johnson administrations “War on Poverty” program.
They had a daughter, Cyndi and moved to Bellevue, Washington in the spring of 1968 where he started at Bellevue Community College. They also had a son, Grant.
While at Bellevue Community College he designed, organized and implemented a cooperative program between local high school districts and B.C.C., which allows high school students to enroll in regular college courses, taught by their own instructors in their own schools at minimal cost. This later became what we now know as Running Start.
He was Dean for Academic and Instructional Administration at Bellevue College. He is the only administrator to have served the college in both student services and instruction, and who served under all seven of B.C.C.’s presidents at the time he retired.
Robert’s memberships include Regional Coordinator for the National Council of Instructional Administrators, the Academy of Political and Social Sciences, The American Association of School Administrators, the National Honor Society-Phi Beta Kappa.
He was also a member of the American Rose Society and Past President of Bellevue Lions Club where he was a member from 1992-2000.
He was a rose gardener and expert. He loved to share his knowledge with others on roses. He loved spending time with his family, which was his greatest joy.
He is survived by his loving wife Patricia and his children:
Robert K. Hamilton Jr.
Brian Hamilton
Doug Hamilton
Cyndi Campbell (Matt Campbell)
Grant Hamilton (Shannon Hamilton)
Grandchildren:
Angela Hamilton
Kimberly Hamilton
Leith Hamilton
Trent Hamilton
Mitch Campbell (Kayla Campbell)
Tyler Campbell (Cassie Campbell)
Madison Campbell
Abbie Hamilton
Erica Hamilton
Great Grandchildren:
Lexi Hamilton
James Hamilton
Jackson Campbell
A public memorial will be held in November at Bellevue Seventh Day Adventist Church.