By Danielle Kolin
Maintenance and security worker Hebron Hunt died June 25 of complications from colon cancer at the age of 66.
Hunt began working for the school in 1989 as a security coordinator and officially became part of the middle school staff in 1991.
He retired in January 2005, and soon after Hunt was diagnosed with cancer.
Huntâs main role at the school was to guide cars through the carpool lanes at the Middle School as efficiently as possible.
Hunt would also support the Maintenance Department by doing intercampus mail runs and purchasing supplies.
âHe was quick to smile,â Campus Operations Middle School Plant Manager David Mintz said. âHe had a positive energy about him.â
âI love working with the kids,â Hunt said, according to his family. âIt makes me feel young.â
Before entering the security field, Hunt worked as a respiratory therapist at Queen of Angels hospital for 10 years.
Hunt had an interest in science and medicine, and, during his free time, he read books and magazines about science, with topics ranging from quantum physics to astronomy.
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âHe was a voracious reader,â Mintz said. âHe was always learning. The material of most of his books was very advanced.â
Hunt had two daughters and a granddaughter he affectionately nicknamed âSugar Bear.â
He attended the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where his funeral service was held in early July.
Many of his fellow staff members went to the funeral, including Head of School Jeanne Huybrechts.
âBecause heâs a very religious person, the sentiment was that he was just passing onto a better life,â Huybrechts said. âIt was actually uplifting.â
On the job, his daily routine always included a few minutes of friendly banter with Attendance and Health Coordinator Brenda Simon and a daily greeting to Huybrechts.
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âHeâd always have some story about his dog or about the picnic he had hosted the previous weekend,â Huybrechts said. âHeâs just a great storyteller.â
He attended the faculty and staff Christmas party last December.
âAt last yearâs Christmas party, he looked really good,â Director of Personnel Marty Greco said. âWe all thought he was on the road to recovery at that point.â
One of Huntâs many passions included the barbecue. Mintz called him âKing of the Barbecue.â
After Memorial Day weekends, Hunt would bring extra barbecued ribs and potato salad to school for his fellow workers.