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A stalwart in the Blair Community, Richard died Nov. 26. His childhood years were spent in Walthill and Blair with his parents, Emory Clyde Hunt, Jr., and June West HuntNelson. His sons, David (Janine) recently moved to Washington State; Daniel (MaryBeth) Blair residents; and Nathan (Olya) of Moscow and Omaha, were borne by Barbara Lynnette Hunt (Bush).

He graduated from Blair High School and the University of Nebraska in Engineering and then accepted a commission in the United States Air Force. Upon his return to Blair, he joined his father Emory (Edna), Uncle Robert (Jeanette), and brother Hugh (Jane) in the family business, HunTel.

Richard’s primary concern over the years was the wellbeing and security of his employees and their families.

Another meaningful aspect of Richard’s life was Blair’s Dana College, its students, faculty and staff, and his close relationship with Myrv and Anne Christopherson. Victor Yampolsky and the musicians of the Omaha Symphony provided him hours and hours of sheer joy with both their performances and dear friendships. While married to Janyce Bergh Jay, he made new friends and was introduced to the Native American Culture.

Richard’s final years were spent with Maureen Fitzgerald Hunt and her children Laura (Cleo), Aaron (Lisa), Brenden (Nikki), Brianna (Tim) all in the Omaha area. Richard cherished his relationships with his Hunt grandchildren Megan and Andrew (Omaha), Matthew (Washington, D.C.), Spencer (Westbury, N.Y.), Madison and Alexandra (San Francisco).

His Brown grandchildren, Ben Myres, Keegan and Jayden Anderson, Waylon, Sawyer, Sadie and Huck Brown were also a source of great pride and joy, as well as two great-grandchildren, Alice Homan and Landon Hunt.

Memorials are suggested to the Omaha Symphony Association or the Washington County Community Foundation.

The family will be celebrating Richard’s life at the Blair Marina, Saturday, Dec. 2 from 11:30 to 3, memoriam at 1:30, and invite all Richard’s friends to join us for his final party to thank all who contributed so much to the life he dearly loved.

#2-Published in the Omaha World Herald December 2,2023--article by Dan Crisler, staff writer

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'Anything you do, you do 100%': Nebraska businessman Richard Hunt pushed for tech equity, clean air

Everything Richard Hunt did, he did with maximum effort.

As a navigator and bombardier in the United States Air Force, Hunt never missed his target during drills, his son Dan said.

Richard Hunt’s drive and the attention to detail that he showed in the military carried over to his business career and to being a visible community figure in Blair, Washington County and Omaha. Hunt maintained an active profile right up until his death at age 89 on Sunday.

“He believed that anything you do, you do 100%. You either do it right or you don’t do it at all,” Dan said.

After Richard completed his military service, he came back to Nebraska to work and lead the family telecommunications business, HunTel. As the company’s chief engineer, Richard took on a pioneering role in carrying out several innovations for the company.

According to Dan, some of HunTel’s innovations include being the first company in Nebraska to bury all of its cables underground. Other HunTel innovations include being the state’s first company to provide single-party landline phone service.

Richard Hunt also appeared before Congress and lobbied for federal legislation and policy to ensure that rural Nebraskans would have access to telecommunications on par with major cities.

“We would fight for our customers and make sure that they would get the service that they needed,” Dan said. “The service that you could get in rural Nebraska wouldn’t be any different than you could get in downtown Boston.”

Richard Hunt’s contributions to Nebraska’s telecommunications industry led to him being inducted into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame in 2002.

Outside the telecommunications field, Hunt donated his time and money to organizations and causes he was passionate about.

In Omaha, Hunt was a longtime member of the Omaha Symphony Association. He also served on the board at Immanuel Medical Center. He also was on the World Affairs Council, an organization that brought speakers into Omaha to talk about international issues and advocate for peace.

In Blair, Hunt was a major donor toward the expansion of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System. He was a longtime member of the Blair Kiwanis Club. Hunt also supported the Washington County Community Foundation and Washington County Historical Association.

“He was very proud of the community in which he lived,” Dan said, adding that community encompassed all of Nebraska.

Hunt was also a member of the nonprofit GASP — Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution of Nebraska Inc. Hunt and his fellow GASP members sought to keep public places free of secondhand smoke.

At least in part, Hunt’s passion for clean air traces to breathing issues he faced during his life. As a child, he suffered from asthma. As an adult, Hunt was afflicted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ultimately, Dan said, his father’s breathing problems led to having weak lungs and a weak heart.

On Sunday, Richard suffered a fall that he did not recover from. Richard died in his wife, Maureen’s arms, Dan said. After Maureen cradled her husband’s head and told him she was there, Richard replied, “Good.”

In addition to Dan and Maureen, Richard is survived by his two other sons, David and Nathan, and Maureen’s four children. Richard is also survived by numerous grandchildren, who include Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt, and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held Saturday at one of his favorite restaurants in Blair Marina.

#3-Published in the Enterprise December 8, 2023

By Cheyenne Alexis-feature writer, Enterprise

A longtime businessman and Blairite, Richard Hunt is remembered for his passion for his family business and his eccentricity.

Richard died Nov. 26 due to declining health. He was 89.

A celebration of life was held this past Sunday at the Blair Marina, attended by many friends, family and co-workers that knew and loved Richard.

"At his party... we talked about 'Richard-isms,' and what made him unique," said Richard's son Dan Hunt. "I was impressed with all the people whose lives (he) had a positive effect on. It was neat to see."

"He was unique," said Maureen Fitzgerald Hunt, Richard's wife. "The purpose of the party — he didn't want it to be somber. He wanted to thank everyone who gave him such a wonderful life here. That was the whole focus."

Richard lived in Blair the majority of his life, though he did spend time in Walthill for a few years when his father ran the telephone company in that part of the state, said Dan.

Richard attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln after graduating high school in 1951 from Blair High School, receiving a degree in electrical engineering before joining the United States Air Force from 1956-59, serving as a navigator bombardier.

Returning to Blair to help out with the family business alongside his father Emory, uncle Robert and brother Hugh, HunTel, Richard moved on to become the chief engineer, offering telephone, cable and internet services throughout the state and all of Washington County besides Herman.

"He grew the company along with his brother through the '80s and '90s into a pretty big operation," Dan said, adding he was also instrumental through the 2000's. "Hugh was the business guy and Richard was the technical guy. They made a good pair in that respect.

"He was absolutely about doing things correctly. It would be possible to maybe solve a problem by doing work around or patching the problem. That was not my father at all. You fixed it, and you fixed it right."

"What he did, he did 100%," Maureen said.

At the company's peak, Dan said there were more than 400 employees during Richard's time of operation.

"He was very concerned about the welfare of his employees, people that worked for the company," Dan said. "He would want to make sure that their personal and family needs were addressed and tended to."

Dan said Richard also founded the data-processing company Mid-America Computer with Hugh, where they provided data-processing services to independent telephone companies.

"That company became the largest company of its kind," Dan said. "We were partners in some companies in Poland and in Hungary. We didn't run those companies, but we provided some resources."

Once in HunTel, Dan said there were many changes and successes his father contributed to.

"For technological innovations... we were the first company in the state of Nebraska to have all single-party service," Dan said. "We were the first company in the state of Nebraska to have all our cables buried in the ground rather than on poles. We were the first company in the state of Nebraska to install a digital switch. We were pretty innovated in that respect. We were the first company in the nation to install a telephone link to aircraft."

Maureen and Dan said at home, Richard was a very symphonic music lover.

"He had a passion for music and art and poetry, which was really in stark opposition to the exactitudes of science and technology, and it was a wonderful combination, but so unexpected," Maureen said.

"Growing up, we listened to Beethoven and Bach and Mozart and Tchaikovsky," Dan said. "But the first concert he took me to was a KISS concert."

As a longtime Blair resident, Kiwanis member, Dana College board president, health advocate, volunteer and businessman, Dan and Maureen said Richard was an important member of the community.

"He was a big believer in Dana and its value to the community, and eventually accepted the title of regent emeritus," Dan said.

"Blair was home," Maureen said. "There was never a question, truly, of whether my home (in Omaha) was an option... when we married... because in his mind, Blair was home, and he was so proud of Blair and the school system, and the hospital and everything that the community provided. It was the perfect place, in his mind, to live."

#3 Printed in the December 2, 2023 Omaha World-Herald

Everything Richard Hunt did, he did with maximum effort.

--by Dan Crisler World-Herald Staff Writer

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As a navigator and bombardier in the United States Air Force, Hunt never missed his target during drills, his son Dan said.

Richard Hunt’s drive and the attention to detail that he showed in the military carried over to his business career and to being a visible community figure in Blair, Washington County and Omaha. Hunt maintained an active profile right up until his death at age 89 on Sunday.

“He believed that anything you do, you do 100%. You either do it right or you don’t do it at all,” Dan said.

After Richard completed his military service, he came back to Nebraska to work and lead the family telecommunications business, HunTel. As the company’s chief engineer, Richard took on a pioneering role in carrying out several innovations for the company.

According to Dan, some of HunTel’s innovations include being the first company in Nebraska to bury all of its cables underground. Other HunTel innovations include being the state’s first company to provide single-party landline phone service.

Richard Hunt also appeared before Congress and lobbied for federal legislation and policy to ensure that rural Nebraskans would have access to telecommunications on par with major cities.

“We would fight for our customers and make sure that they would get the service that they needed,” Dan said. “The service that you could get in rural Nebraska wouldn’t be any different than you could get in downtown Boston.”

Richard Hunt’s contributions to Nebraska’s telecommunications industry led to him being inducted into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame in 2002.

Outside the telecommunications field, Hunt donated his time and money to organizations and causes he was passionate about.

In Omaha, Hunt was a longtime member of the Omaha Symphony Association. He also served on the board at Immanuel Medical Center. He also was on the World Affairs Council, an organization that brought speakers into Omaha to talk about international issues and advocate for peace.

In Blair, Hunt was a major donor toward the expansion of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System. He was a longtime member of the Blair Kiwanis Club. Hunt also supported the Washington County Community Foundation and Washington County Historical Association.

“He was very proud of the community in which he lived,” Dan said, adding that community encompassed all of Nebraska.

Hunt was also a member of the nonprofit GASP — Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution of Nebraska Inc. Hunt and his fellow GASP members sought to keep public places free of secondhand smoke.

At least in part, Hunt’s passion for clean air traces to breathing issues he faced during his life. As a child, he suffered from asthma. As an adult, Hunt was afflicted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ultimately, Dan said, his father’s breathing problems led to having weak lungs and a weak heart.

On Sunday, Richard suffered a fall that he did not recover from. Richard died in his wife, Maureen’s arms, Dan said. After Maureen cradled her husband’s head and told him she was there, Richard replied, “Good.”

In addition to Dan and Maureen, Richard is survived by his two other sons, David and Nathan, and Maureen’s four children. Richard is also survived by numerous grandchildren, who include Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt, and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held Saturday at one of his favorite restaurants, the Blair Marina.

#2 Printed in the Omaha World-Herald December 2, 2023--staff writer Dan Crisler

(photo)

Everything Richard Hunt did, he did with maximum effort.

As a navigator and bombardier in the United States Air Force, Hunt never missed his target during drills, his son Dan said.

Richard Hunt’s drive and the attention to detail that he showed in the military carried over to his business career and to being a visible community figure in Blair, Washington County and Omaha. Hunt maintained an active profile right up until his death at age 89 on Sunday.

“He believed that anything you do, you do 100%. You either do it right or you don’t do it at all,” Dan said.

After Richard completed his military service, he came back to Nebraska to work and lead the family telecommunications business, HunTel. As the company’s chief engineer, Richard took on a pioneering role in carrying out several innovations for the company.

According to Dan, some of HunTel’s innovations include being the first company in Nebraska to bury all of its cables underground. Other HunTel innovations include being the state’s first company to provide single-party landline phone service.

Richard Hunt also appeared before Congress and lobbied for federal legislation and policy to ensure that rural Nebraskans would have access to telecommunications on par with major cities.

“We would fight for our customers and make sure that they would get the service that they needed,” Dan said. “The service that you could get in rural Nebraska wouldn’t be any different than you could get in downtown Boston.”

Richard Hunt’s contributions to Nebraska’s telecommunications industry led to him being inducted into the Nebraska Business Hall of Fame in 2002.

Outside the telecommunications field, Hunt donated his time and money to organizations and causes he was passionate about.

In Omaha, Hunt was a longtime member of the Omaha Symphony Association. He also served on the board at Immanuel Medical Center. He also was on the World Affairs Council, an organization that brought speakers into Omaha to talk about international issues and advocate for peace.

In Blair, Hunt was a major donor toward the expansion of Memorial Community Hospital & Health System. He was a longtime member of the Blair Kiwanis Club. Hunt also supported the Washington County Community Foundation and Washington County Historical Association.

“He was very proud of the community in which he lived,” Dan said, adding that community encompassed all of Nebraska.

Hunt was also a member of the nonprofit GASP — Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution of Nebraska Inc. Hunt and his fellow GASP members sought to keep public places free of secondhand smoke.

At least in part, Hunt’s passion for clean air traces to breathing issues he faced during his life. As a child, he suffered from asthma. As an adult, Hunt was afflicted with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ultimately, Dan said, his father’s breathing problems led to having weak lungs and a weak heart.

On Sunday, Richard suffered a fall that he did not recover from. Richard died in his wife, Maureen’s arms, Dan said. After Maureen cradled her husband’s head and told him she was there, Richard replied, “Good.”

In addition to Dan and Maureen, Richard is survived by his two other sons, David and Nathan, and Maureen’s four children. Richard is also survived by numerous grandchildren, who include Nebraska State Sen. Megan Hunt, and two great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Richard’s life will be held Saturday at one of his favorite restaurants, the Blair Marina.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #261882167