JAMES HUNTER HOLLOWAY

1934-1992

J. Hunter Holloway was killed on April 30, 1992 in a car crash near Donnellson, Iowa.

Hunter was many things to many people and organizations. He was a veteran wire-service journalist and government communicator, most recently holding the position of Director, Office of Public Affairs, Region 5, Department of Veterans Affairs. He was vice-president of Fulcrum, Inc., a book publisher, for three years and president of the Fulcrum Group, a communications firm. After twelve years with the Associated Press, he served for thirteen years as a public-relations officer for the Department of the Interior. He was in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1956. An inspiration to the mountain rescue community, he was elected to the American Alpine Club in 1987.

During more than 40 years in mountain and wilderness search and rescue, Hunter was directly involved in over 1400 missions. His first occurred at the age of 14 in July 1948 when he was called upon by the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests to ascend a cliff and assist a climber who had fractured a leg in a fall. After that, he hiked, backpacked, climbed, canoed and kayaked throughout eastern Canada, the Canadian Rockies, Northern New England, the Adiron- dacks, the Appalachians as well as the U.S. Rockies.

He served as instructor in outdoor skills, leadership and emergency medical care for many outdoor organizations including the Adirondack Mountain Club, Appalachian Mountain Club, Colorado Mountain Club, Boy Scouts of America, American Canoe Association, Colorado Whitewater Association, Colorado’s hunter-safety program, U.S. Marine Corps, American Red Cross and others.

Although his climbing accomplishments were modest, he did record some first ascents in the Shawangunks in the 1950s. Of significant importance was his dedication to mountain rescue operations.

Hunter was past-president of the International Mountain Rescue Association, an original Colorado State Search and Rescue Coordinator, a director and life member of the National Association for Search and Rescue. For more than 15 years, he was a senior mission leader of the Alpine Rescue Team of the Mountain Rescue Association, past-president and 9-year board member of the Colorado Search and Rescue Board. Although Hunter never climbed the world’s highest peaks, his dedication to mountain rescue earned him the respect of the entire rescue community. Hunter will remain a true inspiration to those who follow!

He is survived by his wife Pat, a son Jamie and a stepson James.

For myself and countless others, Hunter will always be remembered as a friend who was “Semper Fi.”

Timothy Cochrane, Mountain Rescue Association