George Robert “Bob” Hamrdla will be remembered as an exemplary educator, steadfast philanthropist, and loyal friend. Born in Kansas City, Kansas, Bob lived there and in Atlanta before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area in fifth grade. He attended San Mateo High School before earning his bachelor’s degree (Mathematics) in 1959 and master’s degree (History) in 1964 from Stanford University. At Stanford, Bob joined the Air Force ROTC to pursue a lifelong
interest in aviation and then transferred to the Army ROTC, later fulfilling his military obligation, commissioned with the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey.
Bob served under two Stanford University presidents as Assistant to the President and Secretary to the Board of Trustees. As an instructor in the Department of History with expertise in Central Europe and the former German Democratic Republic, he taught at Stanford for over 30 years. Fluent in four languages, Bob directed Stanford’s overseas programs in Germany (Beutelsbach and Berlin) and Poland (Krakow). He also conducted numerous Stanford Travel/Study tours to Central and Eastern Europe as a faculty leader. Bob was an avid teacher, lecturer, reader, writer, traveler, and singer in a number of choral groups, reflecting his love of music. A student of World War I and World War II, Bob recently stated that those conflicts “demonstrate that human beings can fight for ethical and beneficial causes, devoting energy, time, and money toward virtuous ends.”
In a recent speech, Bob recounted that “Legacy means something positive one leaves behind for the enrichment of others’ lives.” For over 50 years, Bob inspired thousands of Stanford students, alumni, and Sigma Alpha Epsilon brothers. His surviving family members, colleagues, students, and friends will attest that Bob always provided a generous and caring spirit—someone who thought about the rights and feelings of others rather than his own, and whose deeds always followed his words.
The many organizations Bob shaped and supported throughout his life include the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Foundation (Eminent Supreme Recorder, Leadership School Faculty, Distinguished Service Award), Stanford University (Assistant to the President, Emeritus; Secretary to the Board of Trustees; Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Studies; Director of Undergraduate Advising; Instructor and Lecturer in German Studies, International Relations, and Freshman English; Assistant Director for Overseas Campuses; Faculty Leader for Travel/Study; Admissions Reader), Stanford Historical Society (President), Graduate Theological Union (Vice President for Institutional Advancement), The National World War I Museum (Guest Lecturer), The National World War II Museum (Patriots’ Circle and Stephen E. Ambrose Legacy Society), San Francisco Opera (season ticket holder), and San Francisco Symphony (season ticket holder). He loved his many friends worldwide and cared deeply for the residents and staff at Channing House in Palo Alto, where he lived for the last fourteen years.
Bob will be laid to rest alongside family members in Kansas City, Kansas. A celebration of life will be planned and announced in the near future. He was 87.
