Robert Hunter

VK4AWK

April 20, 2003

 

From Clayton Benner 4/18/03:

I received a phone call this morning from Bob Hunter's mate, Allison Lingard in Australia.  She informed me that Bob had passed on.  She did not give me exact time of day, but from what she said I believe he died yesterday evening (her time).

 
She said he had a heart attack some time ago, and at that time they put in a stint.  A day or so ago, apparently the stint became clogged and he had a very serious attack, leaving him on life support.
The life support was removed according to his wishes and he then completed his passing.
 
Some of you will remember Bob as an instructor in the Federal Electric Era at the White Alice School out on West 5th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska.   Others will remember him in the early 1960's as the Manager of the White Alice Engineering Department at the RCA Building, 515 E Street, Anchorage.
 
Bob left Alaska in about 1964 (as I recall).  He later went to work with Page Communications Engineers when Page had its offices in Georgetown (Washington),  DC.  Page was engineering and building the IWCS-SEA.  When the IWCS's Maintenance and Operations phase began in the first part of 1967,  Bob was assigned to Saigon, Vietnam as the Operations Manager under Project Manager (Wild) Bill Haycock. 
 
In about 1969, Bob was sent to Australia to handle a bidding job.   When that was completed he decided to stay in Australia.  That was the end of his relationship with Page Communications, and also with his wife Rita in Saigon. (Rita later went back to Alaska).  Most of us never saw Bob again, after his going to Australia. 
 
In Queensland about 1990 (as I recall, but it could have been a bit earlier - or later), Bob was involved in the shooting of a fellow game hunter.  He was accused of murder.  Our fellow Pageneer, John Foster, through his "Pageneers-West" newsletter, organized and solicited support for Bob's defense which lasted several years. Bob suffered through two  trials, then at the third trial, all charges were dismissed and he was released from prison.  That left him broken financially, but not in spirit.  After thanking us for our support, he went about rebuilding his life.  He did not look back. My most recent contact with Bob was last fall when I mailed him a vacuum pump from Harbor Freight so he could repair his car's air conditioner.  That was typical of Bob... actually quite an intellectual.
 
He is survived by his son (born in Australia) and his companion of the last 12 years, Allison Lingard.
(I am uncertain as to the status of either his first wife, Rita.  I have no information at all on the status of his Australian wife, mother of his son.  And I am sorry, but I do not know his son's name.  If any one of you have such information please let me/us know -- I would like to include he son's name on the card I plan to send.)
 
If you care to send a card, the address is:
 
    Allison Lingard
    20 Phillips Street
    Bluewater, Queensland
    AUSTRALIA, 4814
 
May he rest on peace.
 
Clayton Benner
 
 

From Dick Yamada 4/18/03:

"I don't remember Bob sons name but he is from Bob's first Austrailian wife Alice and not the second who is
Allison.  We worked with Bob in Indonesia, that is JB, Odell Robinson, Ray Rowe, Walt Oyama, and Val Maidens.
 Bob was the consultant for the Indonesian company ELNUSA. "

 

From Tom Minton 4/20/03:

I worked with Bob on the upgrade to the Carnarvon, Western  Australia transportable earth  terminal in the late 60s.

A fine guy with whom I had many pleasant moments there in the Outback

Tom Minton

 

From Arno Kosko 4/19/03:

I remember Bob when he joined me in Australia (I was TDY from Saigon as the proposal manager for the Australian Airforce job). He wrote the O&M portion of the proposal. We had some good times together, he loved Australia. Last time I had dinner with him and his wife was in Indonesia, must have been in the 70th.
 

May God bless him, my condolences to his Love Ones.

Arno J. Kosko

 

From Joe Mitchell 3/20/03:

I had been exchanging email with Bob on and off for about a year when the bad news arrived almost simultaneously from several ex-Pageneers. Bob and I had been discussing snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef just offshore from Bob's location in Townsville. Bob emailed a number of photos including his sailboat 'Chloe' and also of Townville and the offshore islands. The one of Bob and his boat is attached (click here).

Here's some information I received in an email from Bob in September 2002 (I don't know his sons names and his email address was not working a couple of days ago; I'll try it again today).

I have been here since Oct 1968 except for a three year stint in Indonesia 1972 to 1975. I was sent here "temporarily" by Page from Saigon to do an upgrade on the Carnarvon Earth Station. I never went back. I have three sons born here. The eldest is a pilot in the RAAF and flies into the U.S. about once a year.

Two of my sons born here have done four year stints in the U.S. Army. Both have chosen to return and live here as they feel life is easier home in Australia. They like America but they feel more secure here. One of them has now become a pilot in the Australian Air Force. He tells me pay and conditions are better here than if he had done the same thing in the U.S.A.