Most Worshipful Brother Burt H. Hunt

Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of Utah 1931 and 1932.

For the second year in succession the Grand Lodge of Utah has entrusted its interests and leadership to a life insurance man. So far as known to the present writer there is nothing peculiarly significant, or ulterior, connected with this fact.

The account of his early days furnished by our Grand Master is to the effect that he was born in Colorado Springs, in the Centennial State, February 7, 1888. When he was six years of age his parents moved into the Cripple Creek mining district at the height of the boom, taking up residence in Victor. The Grand Master characterizes this district as "wild and wooly" at that time. Our impression of Victor, after the lapse of thirty years, is that if one should park a car on any of its streets with the expectation of finding it in the same place, it would be necessary to supplement the brakes with substantial blocking at the rear wheels.

The Grand Master attended high school in Victor, and then, in 1907, removed to Canon City where he remained for a year. (It is our understanding that this was purely voluntary on his part!) The next year was spent in Salida, Colorado, and in 1909 he came to Salt Lake City and this city has since been his home.

Soon after arriving in Utah he established connections with the City Health Department and continued in that position until our entry into the Great War, when he resigned at the time being Chief Inspector to take service with Uncle Sam. The next twelve months were spent in this country, followed by seven months in France. Upon his return to Salt Lake in 1919 he entered the life insurance business with the Mutual Life Insurance Co., of New York, and at the present time is Agency Organizer.

In the meantime, however, while still at Camp Cook, on December 24, 1917, he married Miss Diana Gustaveson, in Chicago.

The Grand Master was initiated in Acacia Lodge No. 17, June 12, 1912, passed January 18, 1913, and raised February 8, 1913.

In the Lodge named he served as Senior Steward, and as Junior Deacon for a few months, when he entered the army as noted elsewhere.

Returning to Salt Lake in 1919 he was appointed Senior Deacon in Acacia Lodge and in the year following assisted in the organization of Kaibab Lodge, U. D., in which he was named Senior Warden. When this Lodge was constituted, March 29, 1921, he was installed Worshipful Master.

In the Grand Lodge of Utah he was appointed Grand Lecturer by Grand Master Fred M. Nye and continued in this position for three years. At the Annual Communication of Grand Lodge, January 23, 1929, Brother Hunt was elected Junior Grand Warden, advanced to the station of Deputy Grand Master a year later and on January 21st of the present year was elected Grand Master.

In Scottish Rite of Freemasonry he was made a Master of the Royal Secret, May 27, 1915, and is a Past Wise Master of James Lowe Chapter Rose Croix.

On Oct. 20th, 1915, the Grand Master became a member of El Kalah Temple, Mystic Shrine; for three years was Captain of the Patrol and at present is Chief Rabban in the official line up.

Grand Master Hunt is a member of the Forest Dale Golf Club and admits that he is fond of golf. Neither of these facts, however, tells anything as to the quality of his game. Weare loth to question him on this point for fear of becoming confused by his fluent use of such cryptic terms as, "hole in one," "below par," etc.

Such in briefest (catalogue) form is a summary of certain matters of general interest in the career of our present Grand Master.

Being a good salesman, as perforce an insurance man must be, if he "arrives"-Grand Master Hunt ought to give the Craft of this Jurisdiction a successful, business-like administration.

Utah Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1932.

PGM, Burt H. Hunt died on February 12, 1957 in Whittier, California. Utah grand Lodge Proceedings 1958, page 102.