- Date Of Birth: June 15, 1920
- Date Of Death: July 11, 2013
- State: Idaho
George Hilman Hunt, 93, of Boise, passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2013 at his home. He was born in Burley, Idaho on June 15, 1920 to George H. and Fanny Hunt. He grew up in Burley and graduated from Burley High School in 1938. He attended Albion Normal School where he graduated with a Teaching Certificate. After a two year courtship he and Lorna Fewkes were married on June 18, 1942.
George joined the Army Air Force immediately after the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was assigned to Gardner Field at Taft, California as a basic flight instructor and while there, George and Lorna had two daughters Kareen and Christine.
In 1945, George was transferred to New Mexico where he learned to fly the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and the Boeing B-29 Super Fortress and then became an instructor and was promoted to Captain. George was given orders to fight overseas but the war ended before he had the opportunity and was bitterly disappointed. He received an honorable discharge but continued in the reserves and retired with the rank of Major in the United States Air Force.
George moved his family to Albion, Idaho to continue his education at the Albion Normal School and graduated in August 1946 as a member of the first graduating class with a Bachelors of Art degree in Education.
His career took him to Shelley, Idaho as a teacher, to Firth, Idaho as a teacher and principal for nine years and to Fruitland, Idaho as a superintendent for eleven years and at that time having held that office longer than any other superintendent. While in Firth, George and Lorna had three more children, Shannon, Arlyn and George Hal.
In 1968, he accepted a position with the State Department of Education as an educational Consultant in Boise, Idaho. While there, he became active as a fact finder and mediator in labor disputes. He also became the State Department’s liaison to the State School Superintendents Association for the State of Idaho.
George was an avid hunter all his adult life. He especially liked hunting pheasants, elk and deer and while living in Fruitland he added bear to this sport. He collected many bear claws and made bear claw mementos for most of his family.
Over the 37 years of marriage raising five children brought many challenges, rewards and adventures. On two separate trips the family travelled by train to Lima, Ohio to purchase and deliver a school bus for the Fruitland School District. Driving the bus back to Fruitland turned into wonderful vacations sightseeing through many states. One of the many highlights was George attending a baseball game between his beloved San Francisco Giants and Milwaukee Braves in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
George and Colleen met while working at the Idaho Sated Department of Education and were friends for many years. They were married on February 9, 1980. Colleen and daughter, Julie, became an involved and loving part of the Hunt Family.
George was preceded in death by his first wife Lorna Hunt, his parents, George and Fanny Hunt, his siblings, Isabella, Melba, Jeff, Zatelle, Garnetta, and Maxine.
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