HUNT, DAVID ELLIS September 7, 1925 – March 21, 2019 David was loved by his family: wife Janice (Smallwood), children, Tom, Martin and Sarah, grandchildren Jonathan, Amos and Charity, and his brother Joe. He was also fortunate to be good at friendship and he cherished his colleagues and students.
David was born in Richmond, Indiana to Gayle and Lucille (Ellis) Hunt. His father was a doctor and his mother a school teacher. He enlisted in the Army in 1942 and was proud to be in Patton’s Third Army. Demobbed in 1945, he attended University with help from the G. I. Bill. The following is quoted with thanks from the afterword to the Dundurn Press Edition of his book “To be A Friend”. “He received his Ph.D from Ohio State University and taught at Yale and Syracuse before coming to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto where he taught until his retirement in 2004. He has written several books, including “Beginning with Ourselves” and “The Renewal of Personal Energy” which form the basis for his work-shops on personal development and renewal. He is the recipient of the Canadian Education Award for Distinguished Contribution to Educational Research and the CUFA Award for Outstanding Contribution to University Teaching. In 1986, he received an honorary Ph.D from the University of Helsinki and more recently in 2003, he was honoured by the creation of a teaching award in his name to be awarded annually: the David E. Hunt Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching.” Legally blind in his later years: nevertheless he enjoyed life, playing alto sax with a group of friends, doting on the Blue Jays, participating in the Thursday Group, a supportive and collaborative meeting of friends, writing and much more.
David did not want a funeral: a Celebration of his Life will be organized later in the year.