Ivan John Hunt

Ivan John Hunt of Lincoln, formerly of McCook, died Wednesday, August 21, 2019 at Pemberly Place Assisted Living in Lincoln. He was 95 years old. Ivan was born March 24, 1924 to Robert Ernest and Nellie L. (Upton) Hunt at the farm home, Furnas County, Edison, NE. He attended District #7 Furnas County Country School through 8th grade and graduated in 1940 from the Edison High School. He attended Kearney State Teachers College until his two older brothers were called to serve their country during World War II and was needed to assist his father with the farming. On December 31, 1945 he was united in marriage to Shirley Watts. They owned and ran a dairy farm and Ivan was trained to become an artificial inseminator for the local Dairy Breeders Association in the Edison area and into Kansas. In September of 1949 he began his 30-year career as a Surveyor Technician, with the United States Bureau of Reclamation. They moved to the Bureau Headquarters at the old POW Camp North of Indianola. He was later transferred to Ellis, KS, then to the Arapahoe office in 1952. In May of that year a baby daughter, Jo, was born. In 1955 he was transferred to Lindsborg, KS and one year later to McCook. He and his surveying crew did the preliminary surveying of the Hugh Butler Lake and Red Willow Dam. Ivan retired in 1979. In 1981, he had heart-bypass surgery and other heart related procedures and in 1994 by-pass surgery again. He kept active in the First Christian Church serving on several committees and was treasurer for the local Food Pantry for 30 years. Ivan loved to hunt and fish and enjoyed many years at their cabin at Cambridge Lake. He enjoyed water skiing and entertaining friends and family with his famous "fish fries". Preceding him in death were his three infant children; parents, Ernest and Nellie Hunt; three brothers; one sister; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law. Survivors include his wife of almost 74 years, Shirley Hunt of Lincoln; daughter, Jo and husband, Steven Schmidt, of Lincoln; two grandsons, Chris (Erin) Schmidt and Marc (Melanie) Schmidt; four great grandchildren, Carson (Chris) Davis, Dixon and Josey (Marc) Schmidt; three sisters-in-law, Janice Hunt of Denver, CO, Phyllis (Hunt) Johnson of Minden and Charleen Bennett of McCook;numerous nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Memorial service will be held on Monday, September 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook. Memorial donations can be made to the McCook YMCA youth sports program and the McCook Pantry. Herrmann Jones Funeral Chapel of McCook entrusted with arrangements. Memorial Service Pemberly Place Tuesday, September 3, 2019 11:00 AM 7655 Archer Place Lincoln, NE 68516 Memorial Service Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel Monday, September 9, 2019 10:00 AM 607 Norris Avenue McCook, Nebraska 69001