James C. Hunt, Jr., 89, of Mercer Island, died December 10, 2017 after an extended illness. Jim was born in Baltimore, MD on July 3, 1928, to the late James C. Hunt, Sr. and Helen (Dunn) Hunt.
Jim attended school in Baltimore and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1951, having lettered all four years in Football, Wrestling, and Lacrosse.
On December 27, 1951, Jim married the love of his life, Margaret Catherine Cook, also of Baltimore. This started their career in the military life and over 65 years of happy marriage.
Jim always wanted to fly and was thrilled when he was commissioned in the United States Air Force. His military career included flying fighter-interceptors, teaching international pilots in Germany, earning a M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and working with NASA on the Apollo program, a year in Vietnam where he was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, commanding the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, and heading the Air Force ROTC at the UW.
Jim and Margee made Mercer Island their home beginning in 1974 while Jim was at the UW, and he later retired from the ROTC job as a Colonel in August 1977. Jim earned an MBA at the UW and worked twelve years in health care administration and facility development in Seattle. He followed that with several years of volunteer work on Mercer Island with Probus and Rotary, where he was club President 2000-2001 and a Paul Harris fellow.
Jim was predeceased by his mother and father, his brother John J. Hunt, and his sister-in-law Sue Delle (Wilkes) Hunt.
Jim is survived by his loving wife Margaret; his children Jim, Cathy, Tom, and Rob; his daughters-in-law Dena, Hilal, and Kimberley; his grandchildren Christina (Paul), Helen, Ayse, Yusuf, Olivia, and Charlie.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Mercer Island, on December 29th at 10 AM with the Very Rev. Freitag officiating. Reception will follow in the Church Hall. Interment will be at 2:30 PM at Tahoma National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mercer Island Rotary or St. Monica’s church.
Friends are invited to share memories and sign the family’s on-line guest book at www.flintofts.com
