Murray Chapman Hunt
Sept. 10, 1919-May 15, 2014
Napa, California
Submitted by Eileen Hunt

Murray C. Hunt, 94, passed away peacefully surrounded by family at The Meadows of Napa Valley on May 15, 2014. Born on September 10, 1919, to James Murray Hunt and Eva Turner Chapman Hunt, Murray was raised in Berkeley.

Together with Louise Feagins Hunt, the love of his life for 64 years, Murray journeyed in 1959 from Oak Park, Illinois, to California in a red Volkswagen bus with five kids. They settled and raised their family in Menlo Park.

Murray is survived by four children: Ross Hunt, Kathleen Siegel (Allan Siegel), Eileen Hunt (Michael Haas), and Claudia Putnam (Jay Putnam). In 1967 the Hunts lost a son and a brother, Martin Mosher Hunt, in the Vietnam War. Also remaining are four beloved grandchildren (Lea Lucas and Loriana Siegel, and Graham and Michael Pedersen) and five great-grandchildren.

After attending the College of the Pacific for two years, Murray enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941. He worked in sales in the graphic arts industry for 40 years, retiring in 1987 from Spartan Typographers. During the 1960-70s, Murray led groups of beginning kayakers down California's rivers with the Sierra Club. A natural athlete, he competed in backstroke, tennis, track, triathlons, whitewater slalom and downriver races into his 50s. Throughout his life, Murray remained an advocate for the conservation of natural resources and the protection of the environment. After retiring, Murray worked with Environmental Volunteers in Palo Alto and built many models used to illustrate seismic and geographic phenomena.

In his golden years, he became a devotee of iMac computers, creating greeting cards and illustrations as well as books of his family's life stories. In a notable compilation, Murray researched and self-published a book on the life and achievements of his (step) great-grandfather, Matthew Turner (1825-1909), the most prolific ship builder in America.

Murray loved his family, his friends, the outdoors, photography, fonts, art projects, genealogy, woodworking, gardening, jazz, kayaking, dark beer and lobster bisque. A true gentleman, he will be missed for his kind, vibrant, warm-hearted spirit and caring nature.

Tags: veteran, arts/media, sports, public service