Mr. Harold Eugene Hunt

Harold Eugene Hunt, 94, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ October 14 doing what he loved - taking his evening walk. He collapsed while experiencing congestive failure and never regained consciousness. Harold had just finished dinner at his Madison, Alabama home with his beloved wife of 53 years, Nancy, who survives him in death. He is also survived by daughters Ginger Whitney (husband Chris) of Baker City, Oregon; Sandy Dunker of Rio Dell, California; Grandchildren Jeff Dunker, Scott Dunker (wife Lani), Lindsay Zemmer (husband Doug), Alyssa Peterson (husband Davey); great grand-children Noah Dunker, Ezekiel Zemmer and Zachariah Zemmer; stepsons Daniel Martin (wife Julee) of Madison, Alabama and Brian Martin of San Francisco, California; and grandchildren Robert Martin and Timothy J Martin.

 

Born in Dye Mound, Texas on December 27, 1928, his parents were JC Hunt and Della Cook Hunt. He was preceded in death by his brother, Don Hunt (wife June) of Lubbock, Texas. He has one surviving brother, Leo Hunt (wife Delia) of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

 

Harold's family moved to Lubbock, Texas when he was a young boy. He joined the Navy in 1946 and was honorably discharged in 1950. While in the Navy, he served on a ship in the South Pacific and Japan and was a motion picture operator for the officers while serving in China. After he was discharged from the Navy, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico and worked for Sandia National Laboratories. He met his first wife Mary Lane Barnett at Calvary Baptist Church in Albuquerque and together they began a family with daughters Sandy and Ginger, who remembers her father giving her a love of motorcycles, muscle cars and car races - and how to shoot and respect guns.

 

After moving to Livermore, California in 1959, Harold enjoyed taking his family to the drag races in Fremont and Altamont, as well as San Francisco Giants games at Candlestick Park. He gave his girls rides on his motorcycle after work and taught them how to pitch a softball. First and foremost, he made sure his daughters attended church and led them to the Lord, where they all developed a love for music and especially loved hearing Harold sing his solos in the choir.

 

Harold and Nancy met in Livermore while both were at Sandia Laboratories, where they worked until they retired together in 1990. They each had two children from previous marriages and the families merged perfectly, with Nancy's sons Daniel and Brian joining the newlyweds to live in their first home in 1970. Harold and Nancy greatly enjoyed the outdoors, going on skiing and hiking trips on many weekends throughout their marriage. They took full advantage of retirement by touring the United States and Canada in a motorhome for a year, then turning their travel adventures overseas on trips to India, Nepal, Thailand, China, Mexico, Peru, Europe, Africa, South America, Russia, Greece, Turkey and Israel. But one of the most tender parts of their lifelong romance was the annual trip to the Heritage House in Mendocino every June 25 on their anniversary, a tradition they started well before it was made popular by the film "Same Time Next Year."

Harold loved singing in the church choir and various ensembles. He faithfully attended services and was active at Trinity Baptist Church in Livermore and First Baptist Church of Madison throughout his life. He enjoyed all kinds of music - loved both ABBA and Merle Haggard alike. He was an avid bowler and golfer and loved playing and watching all sports, especially the Golden State Warriors and Oakland A's. When the Kansas City Chiefs were on TV, he always cheered on his favorite player, Pat Mahomes, a Texas Tech alum from Lubbock, Harold's childhood home.

 

Everyone Harold came into contact came away feeling better about life. His email address was "HappyHarold" for good reason - Harold was someone whose presence always filled up a room with good cheer. He was most happy when spending time with his family, grandchildren and great grandchildren. 

 

A remembrance of Harold's life will be celebrated at a future date hosted by his immediate family in Oregon, where he enjoyed spending time in the beautiful outdoors with his children and grandchildren.