Clif S. Hamilton Jr., MD
December 2, 1932 ~ May 24, 2026
Clif’s service will be livestreamed below starting at 2:00 PM Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Clif Struthers Hamilton, Jr., MD, 93, of Fargo, ND, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 24, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Clif was born on December 2, 1932, in Lincoln, Nebraska, the youngest son of Clif Sr. and Frances (Howe) Hamilton.
Clif was educated in the Lincoln Public School System, and from a young age, home visits from the family’s physician piqued his interest in medicine. As a boy, he spent summers at a resort on the north shore of Ten Mile Lake near Hackensack, Minnesota with his parents and two older siblings. Clif also attended Camp Lincoln for Boys, where he developed a love of sailing, which he pursued as a camper and later as a counselor.
After graduating from high school, Clif received a BA from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and then began his medical training at the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in Omaha in 1953.
On March 3, 1956, during his junior year of medical school, Clif married Yvonne, a senior at the nursing school from Edgemont, South Dakota, whom he met in the fall of 1953 on a blind date. In June 1957, the couple moved to Chicago for Clif’s medical internship at Presbyterian Hospital, where they enjoyed living close to his brother, Robert, and family. Clif and Yvonne’s daughter, Debra Yvonne, was born the following March, and they moved back to Omaha where Clif started a general surgery residency at his alma mater. They welcomed son, Clif III, in January 1961, and in the summer of 1962, the young family moved to Ann Arbor, where Clif completed a two-year Thoracic and Cardiovascular Fellowship at the University of Michigan. In 1964, they returned to Omaha, where son, Robert Zuehlke, was born in May 1965. Clif spent 5 years in private practice in Omaha before moving to Fargo in 1969 to join the Fargo Clinic, where he worked as a Cardiovascular Surgeon until his retirement in 1988.
Clif was a dedicated and skilled surgeon. He was a pioneer of open-heart surgery in North Dakota and was committed to training medical colleagues and other team members. He had high standards and expected the same from everyone around him.
Clif adored his wife, Yvonne, and they were a team at home and in the operating room, where Yvonne was a cardiopulmonary perfusionist. He was also a loving and devoted –reserved but always kind – father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He continued his family’s tradition of spending summers at Ten Mile Lake, after buying and running the resort for decades, which brought some of his most cherished memories – sailing, gardening, playing tennis, doing projects with his sons and son-in-law, and enjoying his extended family during daily happy hour. Clif also enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, sudokus, and jigsaw puzzles into his 90s. Clif and Yvonne loved to travel and snow-ski and spent their winters in Maui after retirement.
Clif was a long-time member of Rotary, Chairman of the Board of Blue Shield of North Dakota, a member of Olivet Lutheran Church, General Manager of Aviation Resources Ltd., Chairman of the Board of the Union State Bank Holding Company, and Recipient of the Sanford Pioneer Award in 2011.
Clif is survived by his beloved wife of 70 years, Yvonne; his children, Debra (Fredrick Schilling) and Robert; his grandchildren, Sara Schilling (Jose Felmer), Eric Schilling (Hannah), Brittany Hamilton, Levi Hamilton, Josie Smith (Kane), and Natalie O’Dell; and great-grandchildren, Theodore, Nolan, and Emma.
Clif was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Clif Struthers Hamilton, III; his brother, Robert Hamilton; his sister, Martha Dickey; and his sisters- and brothers-in-law.
A memorial service will take place at Boulger Funeral Home, Fargo, ND at 2:00 PM on Thursday, June 25, 2026. A visitation will take place one hour prior to services.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Dr. Clif S. Hamilton Jr. & Yvonne Hamilton Endowment for Heart at Sanford Health Foundation
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Services
Visitation: Thursday, June 25, 2026 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
https://boulgerfuneralhome.com
Memorial Service: Thursday, June 25, 2026 2:00 pm
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
https://boulgerfuneralhome.com
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Yvonne, Clif was truly a wonderful man. He always made my wife and me feel so welcome at Rotary events—especially when we were at your home. His kindness and friendship meant a great deal to us, and I’ll miss him deeply.
May the love you shared and the many memories you hold close bring you comfort and strength as you grieve his loss.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to you and your family.
Love you grandpa you will be miss so you can get to be with your son my daddy its been a long time since you have gotten to see daddy give him a big hugs to him and my mommy.
I will always know that because of you being intelligent to no earth smartest person I have ever met besides my mom I viewed you as my idol. I will always remember the fun times I had with you it was because of you that I ever learned to drive going to hacksaw from ten mile lake driving your van that gave me the hours I needed to be able to drive thank you for doing everything you choose to accomplish during your time here on earth that will allow me to be taken care off my self and the family I hope to have sometime in the near future. You will be watching up in heaven with mommy ans daddy me get married to the most wonderful estate man I could ever meet he is a angel to me let’s me be me never once has asked your grand daughter to change he wants me to be happy he even has choose to stay home with me and thats what I want him to do to take me to all the places like my lake and his and because of you im able to do this and im enjoying life thank you both grandpa and grandma for everything you have accomplished and the choices you have made to allow this to be possible i will forever be full of gratitude i love life now and plan to have and start a family p.s you have a grandchild up there in heaven with you from the one andy and I lost back in 2022 we named him clif Allen Hamilton- hein just so you know same initials as mommy we lost him at 17 weeks so take good care of him up there you will be missed forever. Love Brittany hamilton and andy hein love you infinity x infinity xoxo xoxo
I certainly enjoyed my time working on the board at Union State Bank when Cliff was leading the way. Was a gentleman to work with and always paid attention to detail. Cliff was a good mentor and treated all of us with respect. I will miss my friend and all he brought to the table. Yvonne and all of Cliff’s family we send our love and prayers! Brad & Deb Wimmer
Bruce Pitts
Dr. Clif Hamilton was a wonderfully gifted surgeon. I was one of his many patients. He and his wife, Yvonne, were a winning team and both were very kind and caring people. I hope the impact his surgical skill brought to his patients & his kindness will bring comfort to his surviving family. H. Patrick Weir Sr.
Bud was always a friendly guy
When we would come to the lake he always welcome us
We always enjoy his visit
He was a wonderful man
He will remain in our hearts forever ♥️
I worked with Dr. Hamilton at Meritcare in the Recovery Room. He was a Great Doctor , tough task maker, and I like the way he did things most of the time. You all have my Deepest Sympathy ,
I worked closely with Dr. Hamilton in the OR as his scrub nurse and as an RN in CVICU. I saw firsthand how dedicated he was in the operating room and how much his patients benefited from his skill and focus. He was a very disciplined surgeon who held everyone to a high standard because he cared deeply about outcomes. I always admired his talent in the operating room. He set a high bar for those who worked with him and there was no question about his dedication to his patients. I’m very sorry for your loss Yvonne and family.
Dr Hamilton was a phenomenal surgeon! He had extremely high standards and expected the same from all he worked with! I have so many fond memories of him! We worked together in the CVICU! I’m so very sorry for your loss Yvonne!
I’m honored to have known Clif Hamilton. He was reserved, but in every positive sense of the word. He was very thoughtful and intentional about his interactions, but he was always quick with a smile, and very generous to all who knew him. He was indeed an accomplished surgeon and businessman, respected by his peers in medicine and industry, but I think he measured his life not in professional accomplishments, but in the family he built. The message in the song “We Are Family” is one of unconditional unity, love, and inclusivity, and that seems like the family Clif leaves behind. In Spanish, “the family is everything” translates to “La familia lo es todo.” For Clif, lo es todo (literally “it is everything”).
I had the pleasure of serving the Hamiltons for almost two decades at the Fargo Country Club. I can say without hesitation that Dr. Hamilton & Yvonne are the most sincere, kind & caring individuals. This genuinely breaks my heart. No matter the circumstance I will always wish the absolute best for the Hamilton family.
Our family only knew Clif as the landlord we dealt with for the Howe/Hamilton land in South Dakota. Starting with my great-grandfather, our family has farmed land with the H/H family for almost 80 years, and for the last 50 years our partner was Clif. Looking at his obituary and all the comments, I wish we’d know him back in his surgical days or gotten to hang out with him at the lake. For us, he was always a fair, engaged and professional landlord. Several years ago, I was able to visit him and Yvonne at their apartment in Fargo, a visit I will always cherish. Yvonne, Deb, Robert and families, our thoughts and prayers are with you! God Bless You! From Heather on behalf of the Robertson, Larson and Beaner families.