Earl Clark Hancock

1930 - 2013

Earl Clark Hancock's family long ago declared him to be one of the world's truly good men. His integrity, kindness, and humor often seemed to inspire others to their higher nature.
Earl died at home in Boulder, Colorado on July 10, 2013. Born to Wheeler and Rebecca Helm Hancock, March 14, 1930, in Baltimore, Maryland, he had three brothers: Frank, Ray, and Carl. His growing-up years were spent in Baltimore, where he graduated from Forest Park High School.
From boyhood, his actions and choices showed that he loved life and respected and cared for the people around him. His life path led Earl into a successful patent law career, a 56 year marriage, and a commitment to quietly doing whatever he could to encourage others on their own paths. His constant seriousness about responsibility and hard work was almost always lightened by a playfulness, quick wit, and wonderful smile that helped others enjoy life along with him.
His character was influenced by hard-working and honest parents, the effects of the Great Depression on his family, his Methodist heritage, years of Boy Scout involvement up to Life Scout, his boyhood job delivering newspapers, loyal and competitive brothers, good friends who could be counted on, and tremendous admiration for his brother Frank who served in the Infantry in France during World War II .
After high school, Earl joined the Maryland National Guard and later the Air Force Reserve. During 33 months of active duty, he went to radar school and became a radar repairman for the U.S. Army and a Missile Guidance Technician for the Air Force. In 1955, thanks to the GI Bill, he enrolled at Virginia Polytechnic Institute to study electrical engineering.
Looking for some fun, Earl joined the campus Methodist student group and found his future partner, Barbara Kehoe. He loved piano music and there she was, playing the piano. He stopped to listen, starting a relationship that brought marriage in June 1957,
son Glenn in August 1958, and daughter Tamara in September 1961. Both children felt loved and supported by their dad. They remember him saying often, "You're a good kid!" and encouraging them to do their best without judging them for their flaws. He became a proud grandfather to Katherine Sale when his daughter married Edward Sale in 1999.
Earl set high goals for himself in all areas of life. He could be competitive but was scrupulously honest and actively worked to give others opportunities to experience success. He went on to finish his B.S. in Electrical Engineering in 1958 at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, having served on the Civilian Honor Court and becoming Chief Justice in his senior year. As a young father, he worked as a patent engineer for The Martin Company days and attended law school at night, receiving his Juris Doctorate cum laude in 1963 at the University of Denver. At VPI he was honored with membership in three national honorary societies: Eta Kappa Nu, for electrical engineering; Tau Beta Pi, for engineering; and Omicron Delta Kappa, for leadership and academic achievement. At DU Law School, he received the Order of St. Ives for being in the top 10% of his law school class.
In 1963, he joined IBM as a patent attorney in Kingston, New York. His 22 years with IBM took him back to Boulder (1967-69), to Boca Raton, Florida (1969-74) and back to Boulder (1976-87). The years 1974-76 were spent in private practice with Denver attorney Jack Reilly. In 1987, he fulfilled a lifetime dream when he opened his own patent law office that became Hancock and Knearl. In 1994 the entire group joined Holland and Hart's new Boulder law office. Earl retired in 2002.
As a member of the Bar Associations in Colorado, Florida and New York, Earl always enjoyed serving on patent-related committees and interacting with other lawyers. He was active with the Boulder County Bar Association for many years and became a member of the Boulder County Bar Foundation. In later years, mentoring younger patent lawyers was especially satisfying to him. This role was consistent with his belief that a leader's role was to help others achieve their own goals and dreams.
Earl had a lifelong passion for sports. He was co-captain of his high school track team and continued to run track in the service. At IBM he took part in intramural flag football, softball and golf, bringing home a few trophies. He also played on church softball teams. He loved his season tickets to the Rockies, Broncos, and CU Buffs, and enjoyed sharing this bounty with friends. When he couldn't be at the games he followed them faithfully on TV.
From his Boy Scout days on, community service was always an important part of Earl's life. For many years he was an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity once connected with the Boy Scouts. Whether it was school, church or community related, he generally had some helpful project that he was working on. When he joined the Boulder Luncheon Optimists in 1987, he found the perfect project: coaching Pony League. As a coach for four years, Earl tried to make sure that each young athlete was given the opportunity to play and to feel good about his own ability.
Besides his family and friends, Earl had many loves. He loved his patent work, especially with individual inventors. He loved getting together with his playing-for-fun poker group buddies. Riding the train and taking part in model railroad club activities were high on his fun list. The Colorado mountains, Civil War history, the words of Carl Sagan, Maryland lump crab cakes, Abba, vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup, riding roller coasters...There wasn't enough lifetime for all he wanted to learn and to experience.
After retirement, Earl began to develop what turned out to be a progressive neurological disorder eventually diagnosed as progressive supranuclear palsy(PSP). His final journey became a courageous effort to overcome...then learn to live with... the symptoms he was experiencing. He never lost his sense of humor, his love of people, or his appreciation for those who came to be part of the effort to help him find pleasure and comfort through those years. Even when he was robbed of his ability to move, speak, and swallow, those who helped care for him were struck by his gentleness, laughter and kindness.
Earl's family is thankful for the blessings brought into their lives through the loving care of all those who helped maintain Earl's quality of life to the end: friends, volunteers, caregivers, the Carelink Program, Heartland Hospice and Boulder County Hospice.
Earl took his final breath at home surrounded by people who loved him and with his bed facing the mountains he loved. He is survived by his wife, children, son-in-law, granddaughter and brothers Ray and Carl. Brother Frank preceded him in death.
Those who cared about Earl are invited to join his family in celebrating Earl's life and enduring impact on September 15, 10 am, at the Spice of Life Event Center, 5706 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder (at the Flatirons Golf Course). A donation of time or money to
a service-related organization or cause you believe in seems like an appropriate way to remember Earl in lieu of flowers.