I always have thought of Golda as the rock of her family. She worked tirelessly to keep her family on the straight and narrow. I think she did a fabulous job!
She was a tough farm woman but genuinely kind. As kids, Merrill and I loved going down to Sevier and visiting Uncle Lloyd, Aunt Golda and our cousins. I think Merrill always fit in with their family because he was built like them -- like a farm boy. I, on the other hand, was a little scrawny kid who enjoyed goofing around but din't much care for doing the chores they expected us to help with.
I always wanted to go with Merrill and Ray but always got left behind. Looking back, I realize how Robert always tried to be a good friend and cousin, but I was too much older than him -- probably by about a year. (Oh, my word, that much!!!?).
To this day I feel bad that I didn't hang out more with Robert. Over the years, he has stayed a good friend and often he would attend the Hunt reunions up in the Salt Lake area when the rest of his family stayed down South.
During those early years on our visits to Sevier, if I couldn't be with the big boys, then I wanted to hang out with Shawna. But Golda would give me a bad time about staying in the house with the women instead of being outdoors with the men. She was right, of course!
Shawna Cornelsen and her husband, Raymond, at "Mid-Evil Days & Knights" at Snowbird Resort.
I remember one fall when all the men in the family went deer hunting and I was left home with the women. I guess every felt I was too small for the rigors of the hunt. That really made me mad -- so I stayed back with Golda and pouted. The only thing that kept me from freaking was the incredible breakfast Golda would always make for us. She made the best pancakes! Back then I would eat a lot of them! She thought I had a hallow leg (but that didn't come until much later in life).
When I was about 10 or eleven, as I recall, I was staying with Lloyd and Golda for a couple of weeks. I remember having a very nice time. Merrill was back home in Granger, so I wasn't competing with him for attention. Everything was going pretty good. In fact, one day I was practicing my shooting skills with Robert's BB gun when I nailed a robin dead as a doornail. I was so proud! I couldn't wait to tell Golda and prove that I could hunt as good as Merrill or any of the other guys!
When I told Golda I had successfully downed a great big robin back among her apple trees, I was ready for the congratulations! Guess what? It turned out to be just like in The Christmas Story -- but worse. She wasn't so concerned about me shooting the BB gun, but she was really upset that I had shot a robin! "How could you shoot one of those beautiful birds!?" I was crushed. She told me to march right out there and bury that poor thing and to put the gun away. "No more shooting for you, Lee."
I'm not sure, but I think I ended up coming home earlier than originally planned. I remember being put on a Grayline bus and traveling several hours before reaching Salt Lake, where Mom and Dad had to pick me up.
Golda, Lloyd and Shawna at "Mid-Evil Days & Knights" at Snowbird Resort.
After Mom and Dad had divorced and I was living on funds from The State Division of Rehabilitation, I found myself in my last six months at college and very low on money. Lloyd and Golda allowed me to live with them in their home in Orem on State Street.
I really didn't spend a lot of time there because I was working as an editor on the Daily Universe in the late afternoon and then usually did my studies there at school. I mostly eat dinner at school and seldom ate breakfast.
When I was there at their home, Lloyd and Golda were very nice toward me. I enjoyed watching the football and basketball games with Lloyd and Golda. Ray & Becky lived with them, too, at the time, with their newborn son, Adam. We didn't seem to spend a lot of time together though because of our various activities. I usually went home on the weekends.
I remember during that time I had gone all out and bought tickets for all the Homecoming events: the football game, the homecoming dance and Homecoming Spectacular. I asked a girl out that I had known for several months there at school, and she turned me down even though I asked her way in advance (which I usually never did when asking anyone on a date). She wasn't interested in anything beyond just being friends. Well, I became pretty depressed about the whole BYU dating thing and decided just to forget the whole thing. I gave Ray and Becky the tickets to the football game and the Homecoming Dance, and I gave Lloyd and Golda the tickets to the Homecoming Spectacular. I probably could have sold them, but I thought the least I could do was repay the people I had been living with for their kindnesses toward me. As far as I recall, they had a great time. And I just endured.
Not long after that "fun" Homecoming week, Lloyd and Golda came back from a visit to Salt Lake. I guess the reports they got about Lorraine's kids and Dad were very critical. It was like the light had been turned out. Maybe I ate too much food, didn't clean my room right, watched too much TV, stayed in the tub too long. I don't think so. They asked if I could find another place to stay. My adviser at The Daily Universe, Bill Porter, took me in and let me sleep in his basement for the last three months of my college years. I started work at the Deseret News three days after completing school -- and a day after Christmas.
After getting married, Nancy and I visited Lloyd and Golda several times after they had moved to Monroe. One time we visited the Levi Hunt gravesite and took pictures. One of our boys is also named Levi. I still felt a strong connection to my Sevier family. On our visits, Lloyd and Golda were always very gracious -- and it was always great talking with them.
Golda Hunt and actor Bruce Craven as Brother Smothers in "Mid-Evil Days & Knights" at Snowbird Resort.
One time when Lloyd and Golda came up to Salt Lake back in probably around 1993, I got them tickets to one of our shows at Snowbird. That night the show was "Mid-Evil Days & Knights." They came up with Shawna and her husband, Raymond. I think they had a great time. It made me feel good that I could show them something I had accomplished -- and also to say thank you to them.
It'll be good when I can visit with the two of them again!
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