Edgar Hunter Obituary

Edgar Thompson Hunter, retired mining engineer, well-known mining historian, and beloved father and grandfather, died peacefully at home in Victor, Colorado, on July 7, 2013. Born on June 28, 1926 in Yonkers, New York, he grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After service in the U.S. Army, 603rd Air Engineer Squadron, 509th Composite Group from 1944-1946, he graduated from the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, with an Engineer of Mines degree. On April 19, 1952 he married his beloved wife Cherry, who predeceased him on November 29, 2004. As a mining engineer, Ed worked in copper, lead, and gold underground mines throughout the Rocky Mountain West and in the Northwest Territories in Canada, and led the re-opening of the gold dredges in Nome, Alaska in 1975. He launched his professional mining career with the San Manuel Copper Corporation in San Manuel, Arizona and spent long years with the U.S. Smelting, Refining, and Mining Company. Ed knew the mines from the bottom up, having served in positions from driller and mucker to engineer and manager. He retired from the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mining Company (CCV) on April 26, 1993 when he was then serving as the History Culture Permit Manager. After retirement, he volunteered with the Southern Teller County Focus Group, Lowell Thomas Museum, and Western Museum of Mining and Industry (WMMI), for which he was former chairman of the board and an Honorary Life Trustee. He was dedicated to preserving mining history and educating the public about its contribution and importance. With the Southern Teller County Focus Group, he helped to establish the series of hiking and mining history trails in the Victor and Cripple Creek Gold Mining District. In addition to many articles, Ed coauthored two books for the WMMI: The World's Greatest Gold Camp and A Concise History of Mine Hoisting. He finished his final work, Cherry's Art: Images of Mining History, just before his death. As a member of the Mining History Association, he received the Rodman Paul Award for outstanding contributions to mining history. The Association recognized him and his wife Cherry for organizing the 14th annual conference in 2003 in the Victor/Cripple Creek mining area for more than 160 members. A longtime resident of Victor, Ed was known for his deep love and knowledge of mining and mining history, particularly of the Victor and Cripple Creek Gold Mining District. Alongside their shared history living in mining camps from Oracle, San Manuel, Lark, Silverton, and Vanadium, to Nome, Victor, Cedaredge, and Yellowknife, with his beloved wife, Cherry, he traveled extensively to mining areas in the US, Europe, and Canada/Mexico, as well as Mongolia and New Zealand. He is survived by his children, Katherine Sailer Hunter, Andrew Thompson Hunter (Sandra Hunter), Nancy Bowman Hunter (Brett Parker), and Elizabeth Taylor Hunter-Ball (Ken Ball); four granddaughters; and his sister, Patricia Mitten. In keeping with his wishes, there will be no public services. In lieu of flowers, gifts in his memory may be sent to the Lowell Thomas Museum (P.O. Box 191, Victor, CO 80860) or to the Western Museum of Mining and Industry (225 North Gate Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80921).