Charles Thomas "Chuck" Hunt III (March 2, 1954 – December 21, 2021) was an American
dairy farmer
Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history that ...
, businessman in the
construction
Construction is a general term meaning the art and science to form objects, systems, or organizations,"Construction" def. 1.a. 1.b. and 1.c. ''Oxford English Dictionary'' Second Edition on CD-ROM (v. 4.0) Oxford University Press 2009 and ...
industry, and
physical education
Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explora ...
teacher. He served as the First Gentleman of
from 2001 to 2003 during the tenure of his wife,
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
Jane Swift
Jane Maria Swift (born February 24, 1965) is an American politician and nonprofit executive who served as the 69th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2003 and, concurrently, as acting governor from April 2001 to January 2003. She wa ...
. He was the first man to hold the position of state First Gentleman, cementing "a place in
history", as the ''
Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' later wrote.
Biography
Early life
Chuck Hunt was born on March 2, 1954, in
Adams, Massachusetts
Adams is a town in northern Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 8,166 at the 2020 census.
History
Nathan Jones purchased the township o ...
, to Charles Hunt, a
farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, raising living organisms for food or raw materials. The term usually applies to people who do some combination of raising field crops, orchards, vineyards, poultry, or other livestock. A farmer mig ...
and
heavy equipment
Heavy equipment or heavy machinery refers to heavy-duty vehicles specially designed to execute construction tasks, most frequently involving earthwork operations or other large construction tasks. ''Heavy equipment'' usually comprises five e ...
construction operator, and Ruth Godfrey Hunt, who owned a family farm and raised him in the absence of his father.
[ Hunt was the third of four siblings, who were all sisters.][ He was born with ]Alport syndrome
Alport syndrome is a genetic disorder affecting around 1 in 5,000-10,000 children, characterized by glomerulonephritis, end-stage kidney disease, and hearing loss. Alport syndrome can also affect the eyes, though the changes do not usually affect ...
, a genetic disorder and kidney disease, which he lived with throughout his life. Hunt was raised on his mother's farm in Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropoli ...
, which had been in her family for generations, but did not have a stable childhood, according to relatives.[
Hunt attended Mount Greylock Regional High School, where he excelled in athletics as ]captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of both his baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding ...
team, where he was a catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catcher ...
, and football team, where he played tailback, during his senior year.[ Hunt was recruited to play semi-professional baseball following his graduation from high school.][ He then moved to ]California
California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the ...
, where he lived for most of his 20s and 30s.[ While living in California, Hunt enrolled in ]California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona, CPP, or Cal Poly"Cal Poly" may also refer to California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in San Luis Obispo. See the ''name'' section of this article for more info ...
, where he received a bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...
in physical education
Physical education, often abbreviated to Phys Ed. or P.E., is a subject taught in schools around the world. It is usually taught during primary and secondary education, and encourages psychomotor learning by using a play and movement explora ...
and a minor in exercise science
Exercise physiology is the physiology of physical exercise. It is one of the allied health professions, and involves the study of the acute responses and chronic adaptations to exercise. Exercise physiologists are the highest qualified exercise ...
.[ Hunt had three short-lived marriages during this time, all of which ended in divorce.][ He and his first wife had one son, Brian, who died in 2014.][
]
Career
Hunt moved back to Massachusetts in 1989 to accept a job offer as a coach at Mount Greylock Regional School. However, the coaching job was soon eliminated due to school budget cuts.[ About this time, Hunt encountered his future wife, Massachusetts state Senator ]Jane Swift
Jane Maria Swift (born February 24, 1965) is an American politician and nonprofit executive who served as the 69th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2003 and, concurrently, as acting governor from April 2001 to January 2003. She wa ...
, whom he noticed while she was holding a campaign sign on the side of a road in Pittsfield
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Pittsfield� ...
.[ Swift and Hunt met in person for the first time several months later, during a constituents meeting about teacher hirings.][ Hunt left a business card asking her to a brunch date.][
Hunt and Swift married in 1994. The couple had three children - Elizabeth and twins daughters, Lauren and Sarah.
Four years later, Jane Swift was ]elected Elected may refer to:
* "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973
* ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008
*The Elected, an American indie rock band
See also
*Election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a populatio ...
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts
The lieutenant governor of Massachusetts is the first in the line to discharge the powers and duties of the office of governor following the incapacitation of the Governor of Massachusetts. The constitutional honorific title for the office is His ...
as the running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position (such as the vice presidential candidate running with a pres ...
of Governor Paul Cellucci
Argeo Paul Cellucci (; April 24, 1948 – June 8, 2013) was an American politician and diplomat from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. A Republican, he served as the 69th governor of Massachusetts from 1999 to 2001, and as the United States A ...
. In 2001, Jane Swift became Governor of Massachusetts
The governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the chief executive officer of the government of Massachusetts. The governor is the head of the state cabinet and the commander-in-chief of the commonwealth's military forces.
Massachuse ...
following Cellucci's appointment as Ambassador to Canada.[
Swift's political ascendence thrust Hunt, a largely private individual, in the public spotlight. Chuck Hunt became the state's first ever First Gentleman, earning him "a place in ]Massachusetts history
The area that is now Massachusetts was colonized by English settlers in the early 17th century and became the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the 18th century. Before that, it was inhabited by a variety of Indian tribes. The Pilgrim Fathers wh ...
", as the ''Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' noted.[ In addition to his role as first gentleman, Hunt became a stay-at-home father for their three children during his wife's tenure, which was still unusual for men at the time.][ Hunt also left his construction business during this to focus on his personal and public obligations.][ He kept his children on his family farm during that time, saying in a 2001 interview, "If I can be home on the farm and raise children, I'll be happy."][
In 2018, Hunt underwent a kidney transplant, but he experienced organ rejection in 2020.][ Chuck Hunt died from kidney disease, a complication of ]Alport syndrome
Alport syndrome is a genetic disorder affecting around 1 in 5,000-10,000 children, characterized by glomerulonephritis, end-stage kidney disease, and hearing loss. Alport syndrome can also affect the eyes, though the changes do not usually affect ...
, at his home in Williamstown, Massachusetts
Williamstown is a town in the northern part of Berkshire County, in the northwest corner of Massachusetts, United States. It shares a border with Vermont to the north and New York to the west. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropoli ...
, on December 21, 2021, at the age of 67.[ He was survived by his wife, former Governor Jane Swift, and their three daughters.][
]
See also
*List of first gentlemen in the United States
In the United States, the title of first gentleman may be accorded to a man who is married to the head of state of a state government, analogously to the unofficial use of first lady for the wife or hostess of a head of state, including the wife ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunt, Chuck
1954 births
2021 deaths
First ladies and gentlemen of Massachusetts
Farmers from Massachusetts
Dairy farmers
Businesspeople from Massachusetts
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona alumni
People from Williamstown, Massachusetts