Robert Hunter — Where is he now?

[Forrest Richardson]

While trying to find out a detail about Hunter recently, I spoke again with Prof. Brawley who wrote the biography of Hunter. Brawley teaches here at ASU. Just before saying our goodbyes I asked him where Hunter was buried as I thought it would be a good thing to know.

In an amazingly quick, rapid-fire bit of technology, the following transpired in a matter of minutes...

BRAWLEY:  All I know is that he died on May 15th, 1942 while living in Montecito. We tried finding out some more, but it seemed to go no where.

a few minutes later, taking a guess that the closest cemetery would be logical...

WOMAN AT SANTA BARBARA CEMETERY [sounds of clicking on her desktop keyboard]: Well, let's see, I have a Wiles Robert Hunter who died May 15, 1942, could that be him?  Well, OK, let's see, he was cremated on May 18th and his remains were picked up by Phelps S. Hunter to be buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in New York.

a few minutes later, thanks to Google...

WOMAN AT WOODLAWN CEMETERY [sounds of clicking on her desktop keyboard]: No, I show some Hunter's, but none with that first name or date of death. You might try some of the other cemeteries. Let me see, I can do a search in another database. No, no Robert Hunters come up.

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Any thoughts? Does someone out there in NY have an urn you haven't looked in recently?

[Jim Hoak]

What did he ever do on his own?  What does he get credit for?
I know he helped Raynor do the Dunes course at MPCC in Pebble Beach--and then completed it when Rayor died as it was nearly complete.  (As an aside, I have always heard that Mackenzie was brought in to help Hunter with the completion, but I don't know if that is true or to what degree he helped.)

[Michael Dugger]

He assisted on Valley Club, Cypress, etc...

Wrote a great book.  One of the best when it come to capturing the sporty spirit of golf course architecture.

[Forrest Richardson]

Jim — His only solo design was Berkeley CC (now Mira Vista) in El Cerrito, California where he was one of the founders. We are working there now on a restoration:

http://www.miravistarenovation.blogspot.com/


Hunter at the time (1920) was pretty much a Ross fan. He knew Ross and had quite a correspondence and kinship with him. The Links eventually got him together with MacKenie — and that is when and where he did most his his work, albeit as a facilitator.

[Kirk Gill]

...wrote some great lyrics for the Grateful Dead..........oh, sorry, wrong one.

[Tom MacWood]

Hunter was from Indiana. I would assume he was to be buried in NYC becasue of his wife's family. If you find where his wife (or father-in-law) is buried my guess is you will find Hunter.