Rad's Passing

I cannot let the day draw to a close without writing briefly about the passing of Lester T. "Rad" Hundt, Jr.  

Rad, nicknamed by his mother who loved the Radnor Hunt, was Mr. Wetherill's younger cousin.  He passed away last week from a heart attack, although in many ways it was a blessing because for the past two years he has suffered with Alzheimer's disease.  He was seventy nine.

I met Rad the first week that I moved to live at the Wetherills' Ardfuar Farm, almost ten  years ago now.  Stacey, the girl who was living here at the time, was taking a few days to show me around.  On one of the days we drove into Malvern to the tack shop.  As we walked out of the shop on our way to lunch Rad was just pulling up to the curb.  He thought about going into the shop to get what he needed but instead he decided that lunch with the two girls was much more fun.  He trailed after us as we went into the nearby pizza joint.  From then on it was set.  I was one of Rad's gang.  

Every year after that when I would compete at Radnor in the three-day, Rad would station himself at my stall, ready to graze or wash my horse.  This was a fantastic help, although it did have it's drawbacks.  Rad insisted that my plastic sweat scraper simply would not do.  He needed the traditional metal kind with leather grips that one held in both hands.  Rad was not one to change with the times.

Rad loved to stay current on the latest gossip, particularly the gossip on horses and love affairs.  In my case he seemed to deem my judgement of men adequate, because he mainly grilled me about horse gossip.  With Gina, though, he was forever in a state of dismay over her prospects.  When we would chat he would say, "Doesn't Genie (his nick-name for her) have a boyfriend yet?!"  Even if she did have a boyfriend he would still press me about this because in his mind the beau was obviously not up to snuff and therefore she still was in desperate need.  Even at his last visit to Ardfuar Farm just two months ago he apparently told Gina that she should "find herself a good Marine."

Rad loved his traditions, including the Radnor Hunt, walking the hounds, and the Devon Horse Show.  During a normal week at Devon he would be there every day in his box with his program in one hand and his score card in the other.  It was only fitting that he passed away during one of his most important weeks of the year, the week of the Devon Horse Show.  

Rad had warmth, charm, a wonderful wit, and old world manners.  Today was his memorial service with a reception afterwards at his own Radnor Hunt Club.  The day was perfect, and absolutely to his standard.  

I hope he rests in greener pastures.  I know many will miss him.  I know I will miss him.