The Very Rev. Dr. Ernest Edward Hunt, III

Beloved husband and father, The Very Rev. Dr. Ernest Edward “Ernie” Hunt III, age 91, died peacefully on May 29, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. He was born May 23, 1934 in Oakland California. His parents were Ernest Edward “Ted” Hunt, Jr. and Maselia Carter, a Welsh native. His paternal grandparents were Ernest Edward “Bud” Hunt, Sr. and Maria Augusta Diaz-Mora, of Oakland California, and his maternal grandparents were William Thomas Carter and Bertha May Edmunds, of Oakland who emigrated from Wales in 1923. His great-great grandfather, Edward Hunt, a shipwright, emigrated from England in 1868, and became an expert contractor and builder in St. Joseph, Missouri, San Francisco and Oakland, California and later constructed the first buildings in Hailey, Idaho. His great-great-grandfather, Jaroslav Bohuslav “J.B” Storch graduated from the Imperial Austrian Mining Academy in 1854, emigrated from Prague in 1865 and built mines in frontier Nevada, California and Mexico.

Ernie graduated from Fremont High School in Oakland, California in 1952 where he was the President of his class. He went to on to Stanford University where he went through a spiritual transformation and decided to become a priest after being baptized at age 21. Upon graduation in 1956 he went to the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas graduating in 1959 with a Master of Divinity. His mother passed away during his first year in Seminary, when he flew for the first time to go home to attend her funeral. While in seminary he did missionary work in a Spanish speaking Houston Hospital and in Mexico.

In 1957 he met his future wife Elsie Maryan Beard of Bryan, Texas, who was then attending the University of Texas in Austin. They were married in Austin on August 23, 1958, and graduated from their respective schools in 1959. Their first child Ernest was born only a few days after their arrival in Oakland. Shortly thereafter, Ernie was ordained an Episcopal Deacon at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco by the Rt. Rev. James Pike, and in 1960 an Episcopal Priest by the Rt. Rev. Richard Millard.

Ernie’s first parishes were Trinity Church in Gonzales, California, and Church of the Holy Spirit in North Salinas California, where he also did ministry work in the nearby Soledad state prison and Hartnell Junior College. His daughter Elizabeth was born at this time in Salinas. He became assistant Rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Salinas California in January 1963. In 1965 he received a Master’s in Hispanic American Studies and Religion from Stanford University.

In October 1966, he was called to become vicar and later the first Rector of St. Timothy’s Church in growing Creve Coeur, Missouri a suburb of St. Louis.

While at Stanford he joined the ROTC becoming later an Army Chaplain with the rank of Major. He retired from the Army Reserves in 1972, and was very proud of his Army Service.

He was called to become Rector of Church of the Epiphany in New York City in December 1972. In 1977 Ernie and Elsie bought a house in Onteora Park near Tannersville, New York where Ernie did part-time work at the All Soul’s Church north of Tannersville. He published his first book “Sermon Struggles” in 1982. He also received a Doctorate of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1981.

In October, 1988 Ernie was called to return to Texas to become Dean of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas, Texas. In 1992 he was called to become Dean of the American Cathedral in Paris, France where he retired from the ministry on January 1, 2003.

The Hunts also travelled extensively with their family including Expo 67 in Canada, and in England in 1970. Ernie was also very proud of his Welsh heritage visiting Welsh relatives in Pontrypridd, Wales while on that trip. In 1973 the Hunts returned to England where Ernie exchanged Parishes with an Anglican Priest from Market Deeping in Lincolnshire.

During their time in Paris Ernie and Elsie travelled extensively in Europe, calling on the other Episcopal Churches within the Diocese of Europe. He received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from his Seminary in 1997.

After retirement, Ernie and Elsie migrated between their three residences in Dallas, Texas, Naples, Florida, and Tannersville, New York where they could be close to their children and their grandchildren. Ernie took on an active writing career publishing 14 books between 2005 and 2024, including “Aristocrats of the Spirit”. He baptized all his grandchildren and his first great-grandchild in 2024.

Ernie and Elsie continued to travel extensively in retirement, and took many cruises with their daughter-in-law Holly’s parents, William and Carol Stevenson. In 2016 Ernie was Knighted in the Priory of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

Ernie is survived by Elsie, his wife of 66 years, son Ernest E. Hunt IV and wife Holly of Tannersville and New York City, New York, and daughter Elizabeth Hunt-Blanc of Dallas, grandchildren Jose M. Blanc and wife Britt and Thomas E. Blanc and wife Mary Kate, all of Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth Caroline Hunt and Louisa Carter Hunt of Tannersville and New York City, New York, and great grandson Jose M. “Joey” Blanc of Dallas, and many nieces and nephews. He was a member of the Onteora Club In Tannersville, NY, the Union Club and Holland Lodge No. 8 in New York City as well as a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. A full listing of his books may be found on www.eehunt.com.

Funeral Services will be held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, June 7th at 4:00 p.m., with Dean Price officiating. A graveside service will be held Saturday, June 14th at the All Soul’s Church in Tannersville, New York. Donations can be given to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral, Dallas, Texas and the All Soul’s Church in Tannersville, New York.