John "Jack" Hunt

Hamilton - John E. (Jack) Hunt passed away peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in paradise on Sunday, June 21, 2009 in Hamilton, MT after a long illness.
His life was filled with Joy and Happiness. He was married to his first wife and they raised four wonderful boys; John Jr., Thomas M., David J. and Daniel Hunt. He married Florence Banar in May of 1966. She has been a wonderful, loving and caring wife for 44 years.
Jack was born June 4, 1925 at Grandview Hospital in Bessemer Township, Michigan; just across the river from Hurley, Wisconsin where he lived until he was 18. He attended St. Mary's School and Hurley High School. He excelled in scholastics, played quarterback in football and was class president his senior year. He loved school and all his many friends. His grandchildren were very special to him; Dan Hunt II, Altehea Banar and Tom and Chrissy Hunt. His parents Lloyd and Jennie Hunt, Brothers Joe and Tom preceded him in death. He has one sister Rosemary in Milton, Delaware.
He served in the Navy as RDM1c in WWII and Korea. Attended Kansas State College in Manhattan, Kansas and studied chemistry. Jack worked as a chemist for Richfield Oil Co, until 1959. He then took his four boys on a three month camping trip in the high Sierras; one of the best times of our lives. After that he went to work for Certified Life of California achieving the rank of Regional Manager in less than three years. Retiring at age 54 due to health problems; he and his wonderful wife Florence have enjoyed many happy years camping out, hunting, fishing and travelling. One of his prized achievements was helping to organize the Golden Empire Gleaners in Bakersfield, California which today distributes over 10 million pounds of food annually. In 1986 Jack and Florence moved to Darby, MT on the Bitterroot River. In 2002 they moved to Hamilton, MT to be closer to medical care. Jack and Florence wintered in Mesa, AZ since 1991 and had many special friends there. In 2004, Montana became there permanent home again.
Jack became a member of the Knights of Columbus in 1956 and joined Kiwanis in 1969. He has always been a caring and avid Catholic since birth and was a member of St. Francis and St. Phillip Church in the Bitterroot.
Surviving include his wife Florence of Hamilton, MT.; sons, John Jr. and David both of Bakersfield, CA., Tom and his wife Rachel of Darby, MT.; sister Rosemary Clark of Milton, Del.; Jack leaves many friends, he especially enjoyed the guys he had coffee with every morning at McDonalds and his special friends Bill Delaney, Roy Cooper and Fr. Jack Darragh.
It has been a wonderful life in so many ways. God bless all and remember me in your prayers.