David Grant Hunt

David Grant Hunt, age 75, of West Bountiful, passed away in his home on Saturday, November 16, 2024, as the snow began to fall. He left this life surrounded by his loving wife, Diane Richins Hunt, six children, and youngest grandson.

David was born May 4, 1949, to Levi and Virginia Larrabee Hunt in Provo, Utah. From a young age, his life was filled with lessons on resilience. His response to hardships embodied this quote he often shared with his children: “Life is to be enjoyed, not merely endured.” (Gordon B. Hinckley)

David was the fourth of six children and grew up in Centerville, Utah. He contracted polio at the age of two and spent much of his childhood receiving care at Primary Children’s Hospital. Part of his care included straightening bones in his feet with braces and aiding his lungs by placing him in an iron lung. His parents were able to visit him once a week. One week, on the anticipated day, he anxiously watched out the window for their car, only to see them arrive and soon drive away. He began sobbing, and a nurse came to comfort him, explaining that there was a flu epidemic, so visitors were being turned away.

Due to the polio, one of his legs was slightly shorter and weaker than the other. Every night of his boyhood, David would jump up and down on that leg to try to strengthen it. His muscles would ache, and he would have a hard time sleeping because of the pain. Recalling this time in later years, David would get choked up as he talked about his dad, laying by him at night, rubbing his leg, trying to take away the pain so that he could sleep.

David treasured the strong bond he had with his siblings and parents. Some of his favorite times with them included camping behind Timpanogos and trips to Yellowstone. He also enjoyed their Sunday drives with his grandma Larrabee to the Uinta Mountains.

Even as a boy, he was a hard worker, starting his first job at Dick’s Market at the age of twelve. David was a track and basketball athlete, which is remarkable considering the way polio affected his leg. One of his greatest achievements and memories was winning the All-Church Basketball Tournament with his cousin Brian and neighborhood friends. The friendships forged among these boys continued throughout their lives.

David threw his heart and soul into serving the people of Houston, Texas, as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After attending BYU and working for Zion’s Bank, he met and quickly fell in love with Diane Richins. Diane knew she wanted to marry David when she watched him play with and care for his nephews and nieces – she had no doubt he would be an incredible father. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1977 and made their home in West Bountiful. They raised six children and built a beautiful life. They loved the people in their neighborhood so much that, when they outgrew their first home, they moved just around the corner.

Many of their neighbors became lifelong friends and camping companions. Those friends often accompanied the Hunt family on expeditions to Capitol Reef, annual trips to Yellowstone, and adventures at many other destinations.

David worked for the family business, Columbia Pest Control, which he later bought from his uncles and dad. He loved his customers and took pride in the trust they had in him. For a few years, his sister, Alauna, worked as his secretary; he appreciated that time with her so much. When possible, he would take his kids with him on jobs. They loved the opportunity to visit church properties on and around Temple Square, quick trips with him to Blanding, and spraying trees at numerous Forest Service campgrounds.

David’s greatest passion was his kids (and later his grandkids). Everything he did was for his family. He loved life and taught them to take pleasure in the simple, everyday moments. He woke his children up each morning, singing, “Oh, it’s nice to get up in the morning, but it’s nicer to stay in bed.” He made the perfect pancakes, flipping them when he’d counted 30 bubbles in the batter. He learned to style Sarah’s hair, including using a curling iron, which he called “The Devil’s Tool.” He cheered for (and sometimes yelled at) the BYU Cougars. He loved listening to the rain on the roof of the camp trailer and playing late-night Monopoly games by lamplight. If there was an impressive lightning storm in the middle of the night, he would wake everyone up and pull them out of bed so that they could huddle together on the front porch and enjoy it. Every night he made sure that Diane got some alone time—he sat in the upstairs hallway, in between the girls’ and boys’ bedrooms, and read stories or made up his own. Everyone would hurry to get ready for bed so they wouldn’t miss “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” or his original adventures of a young Indian maiden named Little Fawn.

Most weekends, David could be found driving up to the family property, with all the kids piled in the truck. He made everything about going up Cottonwood fun, starting with opening the yellow gate at the bottom of the canyon. All the kids would climb on the gate, and he would swing it back and forth, giving them a ride. Hunting and hiking; snowmobiling and four-wheeling; camping with the whole family, a scout group, or just one lucky kid; pushing the grandkids on the swings and teaching them to drive the four-wheelers—it was his favorite place to be. Countless hours were spent making improvements and making memories. Just last month, when David became too sick to ride up the bumpy road, his nephew Curt flew him up in one of his helicopters, giving him a view of the mountains he loved so much. At this time, David couldn’t understand much of what was going on, but when we told him that Curt was going to take him on a helicopter ride, he could not contain his excitement. He kept shuffling to the closet, wanting to put on his shoes and coat so that he wouldn’t miss out on this lifelong dream. Once he landed, his only concern was that all the kids and grandkids got a ride as well. His last trip up Cottonwood was one his family will never forget.

David had a quiet, but mighty testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and looked for opportunities to help others. He loved serving the youth, organizing many scout camps, and volunteering to be one of the priesthood brethren at girls’ camps when his girls were there. In particular, he was thrilled to be able to take several scout groups on high adventure camps, rafting and canoeing on the Snake River. Years ago, after spraying an apartment for a family that had fallen on hard times, he invited the West Bountiful 5th Ward to donate everything the family needed to furnish their apartment and live comfortably for several months. The response from the ward was overwhelming.

Another time, he learned that the daughter of an acquaintance of his, who was suffering from a heart condition, wanted to go hunting. He made it his mission that Fall to help her fill her tag. When his children asked him recently what he wanted his legacy to be, he urged them to find someone, like this young girl, and take them hunting. Before his health deteriorated, David and Diane were able to serve for almost three years as inner-city missionaries, where they helped refugees in Salt Lake City and built incredible friendships.

David and Diane honeymooned in Yellowstone and returned with their family at least once a year. These trips always included hiking somewhere new (hoping they would have the trail all to themselves). They’d wake up early for the chance to spot animals in the Hayden Valley mist. They’d fish the lake, swim in the Firehole River, hunt for special rocks on the beach, cook dutch-oven dinners, eat fudgesicles nearly every day, and go out to eat at the Lake Lodge if he could convince Diane to scrap her dinner plans. His retirement dream was to work at the Lake General Store.

Once he semi-retired, David enjoyed eating lunch with the “old boys.” He found a love for photography and took countless pictures of wildlife and his grandkids, which he delighted in printing out and sharing with others. He cherished his fishing trips with his brothers and boys, and any opportunity to be in nature with family and friends. He loved building block towers with the grandkids, making popcorn with extra butter and watching Hallmark movies with anyone who would watch with him. He attended as many of his grandkids’ events as possible and was always interested in their lives. He could tell you who got an A on their test, who scored a goal in their soccer game, and how potty training was going for the preschoolers. His kids knew that if they didn’t call or visit him during the day, Dad would call them to see how they were doing and get an update on their lives.

During his last days—and since--tributes have poured in from those whose lives he touched. We are all so grateful for his example and influence.

David is preceded in death by his sister, Alauna, and his parents. He is survived by siblings: Richard (Karen), Donny (Charla), Colleen Ririe, Sherrie (Dan) Denson; his wife, Diane; kids: Steven, Mary, Jonathan (Trisha), Melinda (Dallas) Arnell, Thomas (Melissa), Sarah (Ryan) Smith; grandkids: Shahalee, Austin, Shyanne, Sage, Aubree, Charli, Kennedi, Samantha, Sawyer, Owen, Kate, Ember, Madi, Vivian, Colten, Nathaniel, Liam, Brooklyn, Diana, James, Afton, Faye, Hayley, Jack; and great-grandson Roziah.

David’s family would like to thank the Enhabit Hospice Team including Linda, his amazing nurse, Kylie, who educated us on hospice and facilitated a smooth transition; his long-time physician, Dr. Scott Southworth; his internal medicine doctor, Lisani Estopinan; the Kidney Transplant Team at the University of Utah; and all who cared for him at Lakeview Hospital, always treating him with dignity and respect.

We are forever grateful for David’s sister Sherrie, who selflessly donated her kidney five and a half years ago. We also appreciate her husband Dan and their children who wholeheartedly supported that decision. Their invaluable gift gave us more time with him and the chance for several of his grandkids to build memories with a grandpa they would never have met.

A viewing will be held on Sunday, November 24, 2024, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary (295 North Main, Bountiful, Utah). Funeral services will be Monday, November 25, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the West Bountiful 5th Ward building (840 North 800 West, West Bountiful), with a viewing prior to services from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the same location.

Services will be streamed live on the Russon Mortuary Live Facebook page and on this obituary page. The live stream will begin 10-15 minutes prior to services and will be posted below.

Interment will be at the Centerville City Cemetery (650 East 400 South, Centerville), immediately following the funeral services.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation: https://pkdcure.org/give/