Howard Meredith Hunt, Sr., 87, of Dixon passed away on Saturday, October 23, 2010, at the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf. Visitation will be held at the Chapman Funeral Home in Wheatland from 9:00-11:00 on Tuesday, October 26, 2010. A memorial service will follow at the chapel. Per his wishes, his body has been cremated. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Dixon Fire Department or Wheatland Ambulance. Howard was born on February 13, 1923, in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of Walter B. and Daist (Moyars) hunt. In his early years, the family moved to Lombard, Illinois, where he attended Glenbard High School. He later went to Onarga Military Academy in Onarga, Illinois, and onto Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. In 1942, he joined the Army Air Ciorps and proudly served his country until 1945 as a radio operator in the North African and European theaters. After his discharge, he joined the Merchant Marine and worked the gulf of Mexico. In May of 1947, he married Carol Ann Maurin in Frankfort, Kentucky. In 1951, the family moved to their current home in Dixon where they raised their five children. Howard was with Alcoa for 32 years, retiring in 1983. In his retirement, he pursueed his interest in aviation and his passion for hiking and backpacking. Over the past 45 years, Howard was a fixture on the roads in the Dixon area, logging over 30,000 miles in his treks. In 1985, he began a quest to backpack the 2,150 mile long Appalachian Trail, and he proudly completed this journey in 1991. He loved to share the pictures, logs, and stories of his hiking adventures with family and friends. Howard was an avid reader and student of history, an artist, a fisherman and outdoor enthusiast, but his first love was always his family. He leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Carol, sister Norma (Richard) Kendrick of Waukegan, Illinois, five children: daughter Jean (Jack) Wilson of Milan, Michigan, sons Howard Jr. (Lorrie), Tom (Marilyn), Rob (Hallie) all of Dixon, and Walt (Mary) of Missouri Valley, Iowa. Fourteen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren all felt his love and will miss him. Howard was preceded in death by his parents and two grandchildren. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Genesis West and the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House for their thoughtful care and dedication.