Richard Thomas Hunt

Thomas “Richard" Hunt died February 5, 2025, in Phoenix, AZ, after a short illness. He was 97 years old. Although he died in Phoenix, he always considered Seligman his home, having resided there for over 50 years.

Richard was born April 1, 1927, in Tacoma, WA, to William Hunt and Ann Nolan Hunt. He was the second youngest of eight children, who all preceded him in death. After falling on hard times during the Depression, the family moved to the family farm outside Burlington, Iowa.

After graduating high school, Richard served in the United States Army from 1947 to 1951. He completed his three years of enlisted service and one year of extended involuntary extension due to the Korean War.

After leaving the army, Richard received his master’s degree from the University of Montana. He taught school in Montana and Alaska before settling in Arizona in 1968. For several years, Richard taught high school math at Seligman School and retired in 1983.

For the 50 years Richard resided in Seligman, he lived in a little house on West Railroad Street, where he filled his home with books on every subject imaginable. He volunteered at the Seligman Public Library for a number of years, where he could read all the books he wanted and catch up on the news.

Richard did not own a car, so he would walk or bicycle wherever he went. He enjoyed the journey more than a destination. He would bicycle for several miles to a town and then turn around and ride home without stopping. One time while visiting his brother in Montana, he walked over sixty miles from Butte to Helena because he wanted to see the views by foot.

Although Richard never married and could be considered a loner, he loved cats. When he left Seligman to go into assisted living, he was concerned about who was going to take care of the cats.

Richard is survived by several nieces and nephews.

A gathering of friends will be held at a later date.