Reid Hunt 1903-1956

HUNT, RYDEN, GORDON, THOMAS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 7/24/2019 at 06:47:44

17 May 1956 - The Tipton Conservative

Masonic memorial services for Atty. Reid L. Hunt, 52, were held Tuesday at First Methodist church in Tipton. A private service was held in Iowa City Sunday afternoon with the Rev. Harold F. McGee, pastor of Trinity Episcopal church in Iowa City, officiating.

Hunt died in his sleep Sunday morning of a heart attack while visiting at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Rex Ryden, in Iowa City.

He suffered a severe heart attack in June, 1955, and was hospitalized in Iowa City for several weeks. He later returned to his law practice, including trial work, for which he was widely recognized.

Reid L. Hunt, son of Ralph K and Pearl Parsons Hunt, was born in Jefferson township, Louisa county July 14, 1903. He grew to manhood in Louisa county, attending school at Wapello and Oakville.

In the fall of 1920 he entered Cornell college at Mt. Vernon.

He was in attendance there for three years, then taught in the high school at Hubbard in 1923 and 1924 and at Orion, Ill., in 1924 and 1925.

In the fall of 1925 Hunt returned to Cornell where he received a B.A. degree in 1926. He was a high school teacher and athletic coach at DeKalb, Ill. township high school from 1926 to 1928.

In the summer of 1927 he commenced the study of law at the University of Chicago. After a quarter of work he transferred to the University of Iowa law college where he received his law degree in 1931. He was admitted to the bar in June, 1931.

Hunt was associated in the practice of law with James R. Locke at Bedford until June, 1935, when he opened a law practice in Tipton.

An active Republican all of his life, Hunt was nominated for Cedar county attorney in 1936. During the campaign in the fall of 1936 he served the Republican National committee as a speaker in various states in the Midwest, and was defeated by a small margin for the office of county attorney.

He was later a successful candidate for county attorney, serving three terms, in 1938, 1940 and 1942. He was Tipton city attorney at the time of his death.

During World War II he directed the Cedar county War Chest, which made one of the top records of the counties of the state by raising $50,000 in three campaigns. In more recent years he served on the executive committee of the United Defense of Fund of Iowa, the successor agency to the Iowa War Chest.

He was president of the United Defense Fund in 1953 and 1954. In 1953 he was cited for his work by President Eisenhower.

He served as county chairman for the Red Cross Roll Call in 1947 and 1948.

He was one of the organizers of the Greater Tipton club, serving on the first board of directors and was president in 1939.

As a charter member of the Tipton Community Educational Advisory council, he was influential in the expansion program of the Tipton school. He also served two terms on the Tipton Park board. During this time the ground for the present city park was secured and plans worked out for the development of the area with the local school.

A graduate of Cornell college, Hunt served as director of the Cornell Alumni association, and was president in 1941 and 1942.

He was a member of the Methodist church since early youth.

Highly regarded in his profession, Hunt was recently elected district governor of the 18th judicial district of the Iowa State Bar association.

He was secretary-treasurer of the University of Iowa Fathers association, and one of the founders of the Tipton Rotary club, and was the first president serving in 1954 and 1955.

He was a member of Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity, Cedar lodge No. 11, A.F. and A.M. of which he was a past master; DeMolay Consistory No. 1 of Clinton, Knight Commander Court of Honor A.A.S.R. Southern Jurisdiction of the U.S.; Kaaba Shrine Temple and the Loyal Order of the Moose.

He was married to June Virginia Gordon of Quincy, Ill., June 12, 1930. In addition to his wife, he is survived by four children, Mrs. Rex (Nancy Ann) Ryden, Iowa City; Virginia, a student at the University of Iowa; Reid Jr., and Jim; his father, Ralph Hunt of Tipton, and a sister, Mrs. Clare Thomas of Menlo Park, Calif.