John "Jack" Lester Hunt

John “Jack” Lester Hunt was born on August 31, 1953, in Springfield Missouri. When he was two years old, his family moved to Idaho, eventually settling in the Emmett Valley.

Jack attended elementary, middle and high school in Emmett, graduating in 1971. At age 18 he joined the United States Marine Corps, where he served for eight years and, later, served in the Air Force Reserves. During his military career he was stationed in the Philippines, Norway, and Southampton, England, before completing his service in the United States. Jack was very proud of his time in the military and was an outstanding Marine.

Jack married Linda Leighton in 1974, in North Carolina. After their daughter, Katie, was born in 1975, the family briefly lived in a teepee in British Columbia, while Jack worked servicing helicopters at a logging camp, for Boise Cascade.

In 1982 he married Laura Nelson, Katie’s other mother. Together they shared 28 happy years in Idaho, the Carolinas and California. While living in Sacramento, they joined a rendezvous club that brought Jack great joy. He loved the muskets, axe throwing, and stepping back in time—and, of course, excelled at it all.

Jack held many interesting jobs throughout his life, including hard-rock mining in Idaho City and Garden Valley, dozer operator, power-line construction, and deckhand work on a core drilling rig. His primary career, however, was trucking. For 45 years he drove long-haul and local routes, including dump trucks, throughout the Boise and Emmett areas.

Sadly, Laura passed away in 2010.

In 2013 Jack married Victoria Purdy. Together they spent his remaining years in beautiful Sweet Idaho, where he had lived for the past 30 years.

Jack is survived by his wife, Victoria; her children and grandchildren; his daughter, Katie; and his grandson, Logan.

Jack never met a stranger! He will be deeply missed by his family, friends and neighbors.

A graveside service with military honors will be held Thursday, June 4, 2026 at 3:00 PM.

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