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Remembering Jay Precourt: Longtime Eagle County resident remembered for his generous spirit

Sally Welsh
Special to the Daily
Jay Precourt
Courtesy photo

A longtime resident of Eagle County, Jay Anthony Precourt made a lasting, positive impact on this world and the Vail community. Precourt, 87, passed away on Sept. 16, 2024, surrounded by his loving family and his dogs. He is fondly remembered by all for his business savvy, generous spirit and acts of philanthropy.

Precourt was married to Molly Precourt, for more than 35 years, after meeting and falling in love on the ski slopes of Vail. He is survived by his wife, Molly; his beloved children from his first marriage, Amanda and Anthony; his daughter-in-law, Agatha; and his three grandchildren, Luke, Alex and Charlie.

Precourt’s family and friends are comforted knowing he lived his life to the absolute fullest.

“Jay’s warmth, charisma, intellectual curiosity, sense of adventure, big laugh, ongoing guidance, and his love for competitive backgammon games will be missed by all,” said the Precourt family. “Jay will vividly live on in spirit through his children and grandchildren. Jay, we promise to keep aiming for excellence and remain as generous of heart as you were in this world.”

A dealmaker and a dedicated champion of causes

Precourt was inducted into the Colorado Business Hall of Fame in 2023 following a distinguished 50-year business career in the oil and gas industry. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Precourt received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in petroleum engineering from Stanford University and an MBA from Harvard University.

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During his career, he demonstrated skills as a leader, deal-maker and visionary. Precourt spent a decade in New York and London with Standard Oil and Exxon before moving to Denver for 17 years to tap into his entrepreneurial instincts with Hamilton Oil Company. In Houston, where Precourt spent more than a decade, he led the initial public offering and ultimately the sale of Tejas Gas Corporation. He also successfully grew and led ScissorTail Energy and Wyoming Refining and held extensive public company board positions, serving in a range of roles from board chairman to leading various executive committees with Hamilton Oil, Apache Corporation, Bariod, Dresser Industries, Timken Company, Tejas Gas Corporation, Halliburton Company and Founders Asset Management, as well as several large private industrial corporations and nonprofits.

Following his career success, Precourt pursued philanthropy to give back to his esteemed alma mater and his local communities in Denver and Vail; Houston, Texas; and Punta Mita, Mexico. He was a generous supporter of energy innovation at Stanford University where he founded the Precourt Institute for Energy and of various initiatives at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. Precourt served on the board of Denver Art Museum Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Denver, Historic Denver Foundation, and Alley Theater in Houston.

A dedicated champion of his alma mater, Precourt provided the lead gift to establish the Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford. During many decades he also generously supported faculty, students, and research across the university and at the Hoover Institution, where he served as a longtime member of the Board of Overseers. In 1991, Precourt was awarded the Stanford Associates Centennial Medallion for his continuous service to the university.

Condoleezza Rice, who is the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of Hoover, said Precourt was “instrumental” in bringing the institution to where it is today.

“The Hoover Institution community is heartbroken to learn of Jay Precourt’s passing,” Rice said. “Precourt cared deeply about doing all he could to support the things he believed in, and his legacy will live on through his acts of kindness and generosity. He was a dear friend to so many here at Hoover, and we will miss him deeply.”

Jay and Molly Precourt. Jay Precourt was named the Vail Valley Foundation’s 2017 Citizen of the Year.
Courtesy photo

Making an impact in the Vail Valley

Additionally, Precourt made a lasting impact on numerous causes in the Vail Valley, including: Vail Health, Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, Eagle Valley Land Trust, Walking Mountains Science Center, the Vail Valley Foundation, Bravo! Vail Music Festival, and the Vail Global Energy Forum in Beaver Creek Resort, among many others. He was recognized with the Walking Mountains Science Center Reach the Peak Award, which is presented to individuals who change the lives of others through education, the environment, conservation, and science.

He also received the Vail Valley Citizen of the Year award for his wide-ranging philanthropic work in the world of arts, health, education, and environment.

“Jay Precourt was instrumental in shaping Walking Mountains, with his family’s name on our facilities such as the Precourt Mountain Discovery Center, Borgen Precourt Center for Sustainability, and Precourt Family Sweetwater Campus,” said Markian Feduschak, president of Walking Mountains Science Center. “His unwavering belief in our mission and his remarkable generosity transformed Walking Mountains and inspired countless others to rally around science, education, and sustainability, turning our ambitious vision of a dedicated campus in the Eagle Valley into a reality. We now serve tens of thousands of people annually, in particular local students, as a result of Jay’s important leadership.”

Colorado Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie, Sen. Dylan Roberts and Rep. Meghan Lukens visit Vail Health Behavioral Health’s Precourt Healing Center and Wiegers Mental Health Clinic for a tour on Monday, July 29, 20024.
Vail Health/Courtesy photo

“Personally, the time I spent with Jay provided me with the encouragement and guidance I needed to succeed early in my career, and the ripple effect of his generosity can be felt throughout our organization and beyond,” Feduschak added.

Precourt served on the Vail Health Hospital and Vail Health Foundation boards and was honorary co-chair of the It Takes A Valley: Transforming Behavioral Health campaign.

Personally and through the Precourt Family Foundation, Precourt made significant local philanthropic contributions to Vail Health, including Vail Health’s Cardiovascular Center, Cardiac Catheterization Lab (named the Precourt Family Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab), Endocrinology, It Takes A Valley: Transforming Behavioral Health, and Together: The Campaign for a Healthy, Active Tomorrow.

“Jay did so much for Vail Health during the years, for which we will be eternally grateful,” said Will Cook, Vail Health president and CEO. “He will be greatly missed, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his entire family.”

Most recently, Precourt and his daughter, Amanda Precourt, have been a driving force in transforming the behavioral health landscape in the Valley. The Precourt Healing Center, scheduled to open to patients in May 2025, will ensure his legacy continues for generations.

“Jay Precourt’s profound impact on our community, particularly in the area of behavioral health, cannot be overstated. His generosity and vision have been transformative, helping to reshape the landscape of mental health care in the valley. Through his dedication and support, we’ve been able to advance our efforts in providing comprehensive, compassionate care to those in need,” said Chris Lindley, Vail Health’s chief population health officer. “Jay’s legacy will continue to guide and inspire us as we work to ensure that every person in our community has access to the mental health resources they deserve. His contributions will live on through the countless lives that are changed for the better because of his commitment to healing.”

Established firmly in the Vail community, Precourt is remembered by longtime friends and community members for his dedication to supporting causes that made a difference for those living and working here.

“What I came to realize over the many years of our friendship was Jay’s incredible passion for the Vail Valley; he loved the great diversity of locals, he embraced the mountains and in his earlier years, was an enthusiastic skier, bike rider, Bravo attendee and most of all a gifted fisherman,” said Andy Daly. “He was just as passionate in his tireless pursuit to make the Vail Valley a better place for all who lived and visited here, investing his time and treasure to support improved health care, protection of the environment, improvement in childhood education and excellence in the arts. He will be deeply missed.”

The Precourt family is proud to carry forward Jay Precourt’s important and generous philanthropic legacy.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Precourt’s honor to either: the Precourt Healing Center at Vail Health Behavioral Health; or the Eagle Valley Land Trust, both located in Vail.

The family will have a private celebration of life to honor Precourt’s “joie de vivre.”


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