October 30, 1964 – March 3, 2021

Fredrick A Hampel was born in Kingman, Kansas on October 30, 1964 and passed away peacefully in his home in Evergreen, Colorado on March 3, 2021.

Always a farm boy at heart, Fred was raised on the family farm in rural Kingman County, Kansas where he met and fell in love with Leslee French Hampel, his wife of 32 years.

Throughout Fred’s life, he had many career paths. He was a business owner, a rancher and farmer, an agricultural economist, and a college instructor and professor at many colleges and universities in Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Texas.

Fred was a cornerstone of the Colorado Mountain College (CMC) business department for six years. He was instrumental in the development of CMC’s initial four-year degree programs including the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). In the classroom, Fred was a talented teacher, mentor, and friend. Always there to lend a hand, give encouragement, or simply listen. His philosophy was to leave everyplace you work in better shape than you found it – and don’t get bored!

During Fred’s life, he positively and profoundly influenced the people he met – family, friends, students, colleagues, and strangers. His sharp-witted, honest, wise, steady, and authentic way of communicating will be greatly missed by many. His passion for knowledge and a thought-provoking conversation was only matched by his passion for mountain trails, alpine lakes, fly fishing in Colorado rivers, cutting wheat in Kansas, and appreciating the amazing world around him. In good times and bad, Fred carried himself with integrity, dignity, courage and compassion.

To honor Fred’s memory, help anyone in need, be a good neighbor, enjoy a good dog, play with a cat, be open to meeting new people, make sure your moral compass points north, mentor a student, and don’t get bored!

As a tribute to Fred’s legacy, a scholarship fund is being established at CMC in his name. A donation to the scholarship fund will help future CMC students achieve their goals. Donations can be made to the CMC Foundation ‘In memory of Fred Hampel’ at cmcfoundation.org.