Elbert Osborne Hand III

Elbert Osborne Hand III

5/10/39 – 2/25/24

Hand, Elbert Osborne III, “Bert” passed away peacefully and surrounded by family at his home in Spring Island, South Carolina on February 25, 2024. Bert was born on May 10, 1939, to Elbert “Oz” Hand and Katherine McKee Hand in Scarsdale, NY. He will be dearly missed by his wife of 40 years, Ann McSpadden Hand, his siblings Scott Hand and Kackie St.Clair, his daughters Sarah Hand (Raul Vidal) and Katherine Hand Charlson (Jonathan Charlson) and by his adoring grandchildren Lillian, Whitney, Federico “Ozzie” and the many friends who knew him throughout his robust and well-lived life.

Bert, as he was known to all, grew up in Ardsley-on-Hudson, NY, and was a graduate of The Hackley School. As a young man, he attended Camps Chewonki and Keewaydin where he was proud to lead excursions as a counselor and formed his deep appreciation for the outdoors. Bert was a lifelong sportsman who was an avid fly fisherman and bird watcher and loved being on the water. Delighting in his passion for fly fishing in Canada, he spent time with friends and family on the Restigouche and Bonaventure Rivers and Anticosti Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Bert earned his bachelor's in English Literature at Hamilton College, his beloved Alma Mater where he later served on the Board of Trustees. He remained in close touch with his Hamilton community over the decades acting as a mentor to young graduates, assisting with leadership transitions, and being a vibrant booster of the College’s liberal arts curriculum.  He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and the Hamiltones acapella group during his time on the Hill. He later completed the executive MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.

He began his career in the men’s apparel industry in the early 1960s, following in his father’s footsteps working for McGregor Sportswear and the Hartmarx Corporation (then Hart Schaffner & Marx) based in Chicago. He started as a salesman, became a merchandiser, and ultimately stepped into the role of Chairman and CEO of the corporation.  During his many decades in the industry, he stabilized Hartmarx’s status as the leading US-based manufacturer of tailored clothing both through the evolution of its flagship brands, Hart Schaffner & Marx and Hickey-Freeman, and through focused licensing agreements with dozens of labels including Karl Lagerfeld, Tommy Hilfiger, Perry Ellis, Burberry, Brooks Brothers among others. He deftly navigated the cultural shift to casualization in the marketplace by building the firm’s sportswear offerings with golf-focused labels including Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones. Bert was particularly gratified by the success of the Bobby Jones brand which he conceived of and worked closely with the Jones heirs to honor the heralded sportsman.  

For more than five decades, Bert was a Chicagoan, most of that time living in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. He continued his love of sports by sailing on Lake Michigan, golfing at Old Elm, and being an active member of the Racquet Club for many decades where he played and competed in national doubles squash competitions.  He spent many years enjoying the beauty of the lake from his weekend home in the Indiana Dunes.

Bert’s athleticism fed his lifelong passion for the game of golf. He played with joy and enthusiasm all over the world and was a particularly astute golf historian for whom the game's Scottish roots resonated deeply. He played a highly competitive game but was always generous in sharing his experience and techniques with his children and grandchildren. For the last 25 years, he and Ann resided as winter residents of Spring Island, SC where he particularly loved playing among the live oaks and Spanish moss. The biodiverse waterways of the coastal southeast were the perfect backdrop for this phase of his life, and he revered the community whose values center on conservation, outdoor activities, and support of the natural habitat.

Bert was extremely active serving both on the corporate boards and in philanthropic roles. He served on multiple boards including A.J. Gallagher, Austin Reed UK, and Terlato Wine Group. A lover of classical music, Bert was a longtime trustee of Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and The Savannah Music Festival and had an active role at The Rehab Center of Chicago (now The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab).

Bert lived life passionately and instilled those passions in his children and grandchildren and many dear friends. It is truly his legacy. Bert was one to note, “Don’t order the risotto here” if a menu didn’t pass muster or meet his discerning standards. Travel, books, experiences, culture, sports, and family time were his priorities. His favorite thing to do was enjoy a beautiful Barbera, cook an excellent meal, and tell stories to his rapt audience of listeners. Bert had a distinctive and elegant sartorial style. He loved a perfect blazer made from Biellese fabric worn with the just right tie. Neat as a pin his whole life, he never had a hair out of place unless on the water. A lifelong reader and a lover of history, Bert spent hours thinking about the voyages of Lewis and Clark and was always glad to recommend Stephen Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage.

Bert will be missed profoundly by all who loved him. Private family services will be held in Spring Island, S.C. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF.org) in his honor.

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