April 15, 2009, at 5:05 PM:

Dear Friends and Fellow Collectors,

This is not a letter that I have looked forward to writing to you. On Monday 13 April my good friend Jack Hunter — author, artist, and musician — passed away peacefully in his home in St. Augustine, Florida. He fought a long battle with dignity and humor against cancer. He was eighty-seven. Jack was one of the grandest people that I ever had the pleasure of knowing and it was a privilege to call him my friend. As I have shared with you in the past it was his “fault” that I chose this hobby. As a teenager I was transfixed by the 1960s epic The Blue Max. I had always been a history buff but when I saw these wonderful biplanes and triplanes sweeping across the skies I was hooked for life. That love of WW I aviation grew into an even deeper love of the Imperial German period and WW I. As good as the movie was I was stunned when I first read the book and found that it was even better.

It would be another twenty years or so before I met Jack. I actually met his wife Tommy (Shirley) first at her small antique shop in the lovely city of St. Augustine. Standing in front of it I was looking at two paintings of WW I airplanes. As it was my birthday my very generous wife Melissa took me inside and bought both of them for me. I had noticed that the name of the shop was The Blue Max. I asked this lady who looked like everybody’s grandmother should look like why she named the shop that. The reply was simple: “My husband wrote the book!”

We chatted a bit more and asked if I might call him sometime. She immediately gave me their home telephone number. I waited until the following weekend to work up my nerve. I was sure that a big shot author would have no time for a reader like me. Boy was I wrong! We talked for some time and then I asked him if I could visit him. He actually seemed honored that I would drive a couple of hundred miles to see him. He welcomed me into his home and we talked for hours. He was one of the most interesting people I had ever met. It was not just about WW I which he knew but a TON on so many topics.

In the more than twenty years since I met Jack, Melissa and I made many trips to St. Augustine. They were always a time of great joy for us. The more I talked to this man the more that I learned how much we shared. We shared a mutual interest in cars, world topics, history (He had wonderful stories about General Eisenhower, General Patton, an SS Colonel, who he captured after the end of WW II who became the basis for Leutnant Bruno Stachel in The Blue Max, and playing piano at a house of ill repute in East St. Louis as a young man), and just life in general. He was one of the most incredibly thoughtful people that I have ever known. What I thought was special treatment when I first met him turned out to be the way he was with anybody who wrote to him or called him. That is what made Jack so special.

While our relationship grew into something very special he offered as much of himself to others who wanted an autograph or a few words. Jack always made the time. There was a certain wonder in him that people cared enough about what he wrote (Or what he painted, as he was every bit as good an artist as a word smith.) that they would contact him. That was what was so special about him was that he did not think he was special. He appreciated people who took the time to contact him. He was that way until very near the end. He would sit in front of his computer working away at his blog or answering the many E-Mails he received. That was what made Jack so special.

His last big project was the release of his final book The Ace. Over the years Jack and I worked closely together in the selling of his books, art, and personal items. One of you out there was fortunate to acquire a portable typewriter that he wrote many of his early books. Another of you has a PLM given to Jack by George Peppard who played the starring role in The Blue Max. One of the last things that he did was to agree to sign copies of his latest book and to add a personalized Remarque to the flyleaf. Mine fittingly was a Fokker Triplane. Fewer than fifty of those were done and he was VERY sick when he undertook this challenge. I would never say this while he was alive as it would embarrass him but he poured his heart into each of them and each was done with love and at a great personal price to him in the energy that he expended in doing them. But he was glad to do it and it was only when he was really failing that we stopped offering them. That is was what was so special about Jack.

About ten days or so ago I drove to St. Augustine to say goodbye to Jack. We both knew that his time was limited. I just wanted to see him one last time. We had been exchanging E-Mails during his sickness along with an occasional visit. But I had to see him that one last time. The visit lasted ten minutes as he had so little energy. I learned that a day or two later he retreated to his bed. I never spoke to him again. Too often in life we don’t get to tell special people what they mean to us and I thank God that I drove that 200+ miles to see him.

I am going to miss the old guy like crazy. He was from another time and words like courtly and down to earth are what he was all about. He lost his wife of sixty plus years, Tommy back in late 2006. He leaves behind three fine daughters and one great son. All are good people and I see some of Jack and Tommy in each of them. That is a pretty darn good legacy to leave behind.

I would like to say something about a very important person in Jack’s life these past few years. Many of you who wrote or E-Mailed may have dealt with her. I can assure you that if you got a book or painting from Jack she was in the thick of it. That lady is Jonni Anderson. Jonni first contacted Jack as I did as a fan. She grew into his strong right arm and freed him to do the things that he wanted to do by taking care of the details. Jonni was a pal and a confidant and right about now she is missing him as much as I am.

Losing friends is never easy. But what a loss it would have been to have never known Jack Hunter. He changed my life in ways that he never knew. Tonight I will grab one of his many books and read a little to think about my friend Jack Hunter. That is what made him so special.

Ken Greenfield

P.S. If you would like to share a thought or memory of Jack please click on the link below. Jonni will be accumulating them and sharing them with friends and family and posting some on Jack’s blog. Please take a minute to say your goodbyes to a swell guy.
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