The body of Loyal Hunt was rescued from the Cheat Lake, Morgantown, West Va., about six o'clock Sunday evening, August 12th, about three hours after a lady on the pier said she saw a man disappear.As 200 people were bathing in the lake at the time it was impossible to check the missing one and by the time the alarm was spread among that many he had probably been drowned some little time. Harry Rust, a friend of Loyal's started a search when the later failed to report at the bath house. The rescue party recovered the body from seven foot water.
The faculty of the West Virginia university which Loyal was attending, packed his personal effects and sent them with the body to Wellington where burial was made Friday.
PRAISED BY DEPARTMENT HEAD We print the following letter written by R. J. Garber, head of the agronomy department, West Virginia university, which tells of the great work Loyall Hunt was doing as a student of that institution. The expressions of professor Garber are the convictions of Loyal's many Wilmore friends, who extend to the bereaved relatives their deepest sympathy at this time.
The letter follows:
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Hunt,
South Haven, Kansas.My Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hunt:
I wish to extend to you my heartfelt sympathy in this hour of bereavement. Words of sympathy can not restore a lost son, but I thought it might be of some comfort to you to know that although Loyall was in our midst only a short time he won the respect and admiration of everyone with whom he came in contact faculty, fellow students and others.
I came to know your son quite well as he was in three of my classes during the last school year, and I can state unhesitatingly and without reservation that he was by far the best student that I had. He showed unusual promise in his chosen field of work.
We all regret that one so young and so promising has been called by death, may it ever be a source of satisfaction and comfort to you to know that the short life he lived, he lived righteously and well.
Sincerely,
R. J. Garber.
Obituary Loyall Virgil Hunt, son of Mr. and Mrs. James I. Hunt, was born at Parker, Kansas, October 27, 1901, departed this life at Morgantown, W. Va., August 7, 1927, age 25 years, 9 months and 11 days.
The deceased was still in preparation for his life work at the University of West Virginia. He graduated from the Coldwater, Kansas, High School in 1919, entered the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan, graduating with honors in 1923. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Delta Kappa, honorary scholastic fraternities. After graduation he taught three years in the high school at Lincoln and Kiowa, Kansas. He entered the University of West Virginia in September 1926, as Graduate Assistant in Zoology. At the time of his death he was attending summer session, completing his pre-medic requirements, preparing to enter the study of medicine.
In his Junior year in high school at Wilmore, Kansas, Loyall was converted and united with the Baptist church of that place. He lived a consistent christian life, and at the time of his death was a member of the Morgantown Baptist church, Morgantown, West Virginia.
Loyall, as he was familiarly called, by his friends and associates, leaves to mourn his untimely death a loving father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. James I. Hunt, of South Haven, Kansas; one sister, Mrs. Loyde Wilson, Wilmore, Kansas; three brothers, Basil, Harold and Eyman, of South Haven, Kansas; a member of relatives and a host of friends.
Loyall was highly respected and admired by all who knew him for his high sense of honor and justice, which always, marked his relations with his friends and associates.
Few who remained here, stand shocked, mystified, not understanding, yet trusting to the greater Power for wisdom and strength to understand and bear the burden of his loss.
The funeral was conducted by his former pastor, Rev. A. W. Cameron, of Haskell, Okla., at the Frank Funeral Home, Wellington, Kansas. Burial was made at the Prairie Lawn cemetery, August 15.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site! Shirley noted that the spellings of Loyal and Loyall were both used in the above article. The correct spelling of his first name is unknown to Shirley Brier or Jerry Ferrin.
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