Mountain Crest marching band booster honored for years of service

Jean Hunter was honored by the Utah Band Master Association for years as a Mountain Crest marching band booster on Friday Nov. 5, 2021.

HYRUM – Jean Hunter of Hyrum was honored Friday, Nov. 5 by the Utah Band Master Association as the first marching band booster named to their Hall of Fame. The honor was given to her during the Bands of America Regional Championship in St. George for her long-standing service she rendered to the Mountain Crest Marching Band.

David and Jean Hunter have spent their lives supporting the Mountain Crest Marching Band.

Hunter is the first booster the Utah Band Master Association put in their Hall of Fame.

This honor is the second for Hunter. Jean and her husband David were inducted into the Horne School of Music Hall of Fame at Snow College in 2020.

Jason Petrovitch, a former marching band instructor at Mountain Crest, said when he got started at the school in 2005 Hunter was serving as the band booster and she didn’t have any students in the program. He no longer works at Mountain Crest but is currently the current circuit administrator for the Utah Band Master Association.

She has helped make Mountain Crest a top-notch program by serving the students there, she was also involved in the entire state band community,” he said. “Jean also was on the committee that was instrumental in creating the Bridgerland Marching Band Competition still going today.”

In her late 70’s she still can be found in the stands watching the competitions.

“She is an incredible lady,” Petrovitch said. “All her kids have graduated from high school and after they graduated she stayed on as a booster;”

In 1984, Hunter’s oldest son was struggling academically in school and he was a member of the Mountain Crest marching band. She wanted him to quit band and concentrate on his studies. The marching band director told her he couldn’t quit part way through the season, even if his grades were not the best.

Her relationship with the band directors improved over the years as she saw the growth and positive associations her children were immersed in. To show appreciation for the teachers’ service she began to provide food, homemade bread and cookies for time the various directors spent on band over the years.

Hunter supported her eight high school students for the span of over 18 years as they participated in the Mountain Crest marching band.

After 18 years of being a band mom and supporter, she moved on to spend the last 19 years being a band grandma. Hunter continues to support and feed the Mountain Crest marching band at band camps and competitions. As her grandchildren began to grow and enter high school the loyalties and support has expanded to include Bonneville, Tooele, Ridgeline and North Summit high schools while supporting 22 of her 38 grandkids in their high school band experiences.

She was one of the original committee members that organized the Bridgerland Marching Band Invitational which ran the Music in Motion drum corps show for two years and the Bridgerland Band Invitational for the last 28 years. Jean was the committee chair from 1995 until she left to serve a mission in 2014.

After her and her husband’s mission, she picked up where she left off supporting the Bridgerland Band Invitational by joining the committee again.

Hunter was one of the founding members of the Red Rocks State Marching Band Championships at Dixie State University as a committee member. She has consistently attended, even after her tenure as committee member ended.

Although her musical education consisted of piano and vocal, her family appreciates her support when it came to joining the marching band, which they continued to perform in college, and other professional playing experiences.

One David and Jean Hunter’s happiest events is when the family gathers for a 38 piece band concert.

Out of the many musical experiences she has had, her favorite time is when she can sit and listen to the 39-piece band that is composed entirely of her own family.

Her daughter Julie Smith, currently a high school marching band booster at Ridgeline, with her sister Heidi said their family is thankful for Jean’s sacrifice and are proud of her.

“We love her for the opportunities our family has had because her dedication to them and the marching band program at Mountain Crest,” she said.

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2 Comments

  • Aaron Allen November 12, 2021 at 6:46 pm Reply

    And yet NO coverage or even a mention that Sky View AND Green Canyon marching bands each too FIRST PLACE in the state in their respective classes. Two state AND REGIONAL champion marching bands right here in Cache Vally and you’ll don’t care.

  • Nicholas Hudson November 13, 2021 at 8:19 pm Reply

    Aaron Allen, that’s not what this article is about!? This about a great couple and their amazing accomplishments and support for marching band that has expanded all around the state. They happened to live in the 1/3 of the valley that attended Mountain crest starting almost 40 years ago. Thank you David and a Jean for the wonderful support you provided while I was in the MCHS band. Congrats to all the successful marching bands in the valley. When Sky View or Green Canyons trophy case begins to even look close to Mountain Crest’s then maybe there might be something to be proud of and boast about Aaron.

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