The World Lost a Great Man
Jacy LaRay Hunt, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and great great grandfather passed away February 28, 2021, at the age of 84 in his home in Midvale UT, surrounded by his family. He was born to Jacy Owen Hunt and Vera Jeneal Bryan December 7, 1936 in Kenilworth, Utah. Jacy was the oldest of his 2 sisters, Patricia Fredrickson, Jeneal Browning, and half-brother Lynn Olsen.
Jacy worked the family farm in Ferron, UT until 1954 when he joined the Air Force at the age of 17 with the permission of his mother. During his Basic Training the Military Intelligence division noticed he had “special talents” and was given specialized training in infiltration for advanced forces, combat martial arts, and special weapons and tactics. Throughout his 32 year military career he served in the Air Force, Marine Core, Army, Navy, and retired from the Civilian Government Service.
He served in Korea and Vietnam. Many of his missions in the military were classified. He was wounded three times performing missions in Vietnam and his mother received three different notifications that he was missing in action or killed. “He was one tough son of a bitch.”
Later he was assigned to the Crash and Rescue Division at Strategic Air Command (“SAC”) at Carswell Air Force Base where he flew rescue helicopters saving many lives. He was a flying fireman and a top turret gunner on a B-36 Bomber.
Jacy also served as the Fire Marshal and Fire Chief of White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and the Missile Test Complex in Green River, UT. He also served with the US Army as the Fire Chief at Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah for over 13 years.
In addition to his military service, he worked in many different jobs and owned several businesses including, the owner of J.L Hunt Trucking, Heavy Equipment Operator, Licensed Private Detective, undercover Police Officer, Auto and Diesel Mechanic, Home Construction, Painting, Landscaping, Demolition, Picked Cotton, Private Security, Limousine Service, Night Club Manager, Service Station Manager, Repaired Combines, Built Race Cars, Modified County Police Cars, Rough-Necked, Oil Company Stock Executor, and managed a small indoor theater in Alaska..
Jacy was working as a Deputy Sheriff in Emery County, Utah and had just applied for a job as United States Marshall when he met the love of his life Sharon Elaine Saunders at the Naval Officers Club in Alameda California. It was love at first sight.
On April 4th, 1980, Jacy married his best friend, Sharon Elaine Anderson and were sealed for eternity in the Salt Lake Temple on April 5th, 1990. When their son and Scott returned home from his mission, both Scott and Tami were sealed in the temple to their parents on September 21, 1990. He later wrote down in his journal that Sharon is his best friend, and the one person who truly understood him. Their marriage of 41 years was filled with love and a once in a lifetime friendship.
Jacy had the ability to make friends easily and make everyone around him feel at ease. His favorite hobby and passion was camping in the desert with his family and several self-proclaimed “adopted sons”. He was a mentor and a larger-than-life hero to all who knew him.
Jacy is survived by his loving wife Sharon, children Scott (Teresa), Tamra, Floretta Ann Paxton, Jack (Christine) Hunt, Ray (Suzanne) Hunt, Kay (Ken) Kortright, Darren (Karen) Hunt, and Brother Lynn Olsen. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren, 26 greatgrandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and sisters, Jeneal Browning, Patricia Fredrickson, and son Gary Duane Craig.
True to form, Jacy fought quite a battle with his health the past few years. A special thanks to Tamra for the love and support of both her parents, his grandson Jacy, and grand Daughter Katlynn for caring for their grandparents before grandpa’s passing. Also, a special thanks to all of his doctors, nurses and caregivers.
Grave side services will be held at 2:00 pm at Salt Lake City Cemetery. Because of Jacy’s deep love for animals, in lieu of flowers, please donate to the Humane Society.
I was saddened to hear of your passing today.
You and your beautiful wife are some of my favorite customers. I always look forward to seeing this awesome family in my checkout line.
Lots of love and prayers to Sharon and family.
So sorry for your loss. I loved uncle Ray so much. I am so proud of his talents in life and job's. I loved his laugh! I will miss him dearly! I believe he is with his sisters and parents so he's happily looking down on his family. Prayers for Sharron and all his little ones. RIP Ray
Where lives pass, memories carry on forever. WOW he was hell of a guy! Sending my heart felt condolence to you Sharon, and your family.
Sharon you had a 1 in a million relationship with Jacy, one that most people can only dream of , its been many years since seeing each other but the love for you two i'v kept close in my heart for all these years, I never saw Jacy without a smile on his face 💗 i love you Sharon you're a very important person in my life💗💗💗
A good friend of 40 years sadly taken. Our love and prayers to Sharon and family. He will not be forgotten.
Sharon you had a 1 in a million relationship with Jack, one that most people can only dream of , its been many years since seeing each other but the love for you two i'v kept close in my heart for all these years, I never saw Jacy without a smile on his face 💗 i love you Sharon you're a very important person in my life💗💗💗
I am so very sorry for your loss Sharon.
What an Amazing man!!!!
I so wish that we could have attended the service. I am sure it was beautiful, but Glen was getting a knee replacement.
We admire and are so very grateful of the relationship you have with our mother. You keep her so vibrant and young.
Thank you sweetheart.
Please let us know if there is anything else we can do.
We love you.
Yesterday for some reason, my thoughts turned to Jacy ;Jr. my half brother who I had only met in person once in my life. I felt that I would like to reconnect with him once again and see how he is doing and as I began to search the internet for his name I was so sad and shocked to find his obituary. We never really knew each other in this life but as I read his obituary and all of the amazing things that he had done I was filled with regret that I had never made more of an effort to get to know him better, he sounds like a great man and I want to send to all of his family my sympathy at this difficult time. I have no doubt that it was the promptings of the Holy Ghost that caused me to think of him exactly at this time as it has been over 30 years since we first met each other. Having never had a brother in my life, I now look forward to the wonderful blessings that will come with the next life and know that I will get to know him better there.
Dear Sister Hunt I was looking for the obit for a neighbor and I was saddened to see that Brother Hunt had passed. I know our Sugarhouse neighborhood goes back many years. You folks were always 2 of our favorite people. We loved your little dogs and the opportunity we had to be welcomed in to your Home.
Love David and Doris Anderson