E. Hamilton Obituary

E. Bentley Hamilton, Jr., passed away on October 12, 2021 at his house in New Orleans. Bentley was an attorney and an entrepreneur, father of four, and a connoisseur of opera, fine dining, world traveling, and the power of the English language. He spent as much time as possible in France and Italy and dedicated his life to perfecting his spaghetti and meatballs.

Bentley was born in New York in 1943, and moved to Durango in 1952. An athlete and a scholar, Bentley graduated from Durango High School in 1960, Colgate University in 1964, and University of Colorado Law School in 1967, Order of the Coif. After law school in Boulder, Bentley returned to Durango to practice law with his father, Ben Hamilton. Following his father's death in 1981, Bentley started his own law firm in Durango where he practiced on and off for the next thirty years.

Bentley is survived by his wife Brenda Hamilton; daughters, Melanie and Daphne; sons, Chris and Eric, by former wife Pat Briggs; grandchildren, Benjamin, Ruby, and Eli; great-grandchildren, Nora and Sophia; brothers, Tom and Greg; sister Kathy Warner; nieces, Kim, Karen, Gina, and Haley; nephews, David and Paul; and numerous great-nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to stop by the Elks Club on Friday, February 25th, at 4 p.m., for a drink in honor of

Bentley and the way he lived his life: La vita e bella!