Obituary of Raymond Peter Hunt
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Raymond Peter Hunt
December 9th, 1930 – December 19th, 2020
It is with the greatest sorrow we announce the passing of Raymond Peter Hunt on Saturday December 19th at age 90 at the High River Hospital, High River, Alberta.
Predeceased by his parents George Hunt and Lillian Samms, stepfather Ben Samms, siblings George and Elsie, step siblings Sandy, Gideon, Cyril, Rhoda, and Marie, wives Collinette (Horwood) 1967 and Emma (Hillier)2020.
Leaving to mourn sons Peter (Tereza), Paul (Sandra), and Gus (Jodi-Anne), grandchildren Robert (Ryan), Tom (Nick), Jaimie(Myles), Sarah(Lamont), Paul Jr., Samuel, Kieran, great-grandchildren Anna and Chase, nieces Lenore (Wayne) and Glennys (Conroy) as well as many other nieces and nephews.
Ray was well known in the communities of Curling and Corner Brook and was a truly self-made man. He started working at Bowaters in the greenhouse, then moved onto the Woods Department. He took night classes to achieve his GED and then enrolled with International Correspondence Schools to obtain a Diploma in Land Surveying. He was one of the original recipients granted a Certificate as a Crown Land Surveyor in the 1950s. He was Chief Surveyor at Bowaters until 1971when he opened up his own land surveying company, R.P. Hunt Surveys. He continued working as a land surveyor until his retirement at age 77 in 2007. Throughout his life he had a keen interest in community affairs and local politics, serving on the Corner Brook City Council and various other organizations.
Ray was smart, quick, progressive and intelligent. He could perform complex trigonometry in his head, make an estimate that was always right, work into the night and be up with the birds. And if you thought you had a smart retort, he would beat you to it. He was strong of mind, body and spirit. He bore the tragic loss of his first wife to cancer at such a young age. He was a cancer survivor himself, and only slowed down long enough to beat it before returning to running his business. In his seventies he took up painting, focussing on the Newfoundland scenery that was his workplace. He was always curious, always learning – he lived life in perpetual motion.
But most of all he was one of the kindest and most generous people you could ever hope to meet. Whether you knew him as a casual acquaintance or knew him well, this was the trait that shone bright. He would give you the shirt off his back, the roof over his head and the food on his table. And never expect anything in return. And he did this countless times throughout his life, whether he liked you or not. And if he loved you, it was unconditional. If you were lucky enough to know him, you knew this to be true. And for those of us who did, we can only hope to try and walk in his footsteps and learn by the example he lived.
Deep and sincere gratitude to the outstanding compassionate and kind care demonstrated by the doctors, nurses and staff at the High River Hospital.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in Newfoundland when family and loved ones can safely gather to remember.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the SPCA, The Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society or Make a Wish Foundation.