Harold Keith Hunt, 87, born 16 April 1938 in Ames, Iowa, to Harold Gilbert Hunt and Dorothy Harriet Petro. He married Carolyn Sue Sedgwick 21 August 1961 in the Salt Lake Temple. He died 21 March 2026 in Orem, Utah.

He was born when his father was attending Iowa State University. The family then lived in Williamsburg, Iowa until they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1947 where he attended Forest Dale Elementary, Irving Junior, and South High Schools. He received BS and MBA degrees from the University of Utah. He later earned a PhD in Marketing from Northwestern University.

He was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life, serving in Aaronic Priesthood and Elders Quorum presidencies, High Priests Group Leadership, Stake Sunday School Presidencies, Bishoprics, and High Councils, with Gospel Doctrine teacher being his favorite calling. He served an LDS mission in the Western States Mission from June 1958 through August 1960. He was a student of LDS church history, trying to understand how the church restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., could transform itself into the LDS church of today.

Professionally he was a marketing and entrepreneurship professor for 39 years. He served on the faculties of Imperial Valley College, University of Iowa, University of Wyoming, and finally Brigham Young University, where he was for 30 years until his retirement in 2005. He served as the marketing and consumer behavior research expert at the Federal Trade Commission for the 1973-74 academic year. He loved teaching and enjoyed research, publishing 25 journal articles, 61 conference papers, and 11 proceedings volumes. He received the BYU Karl G. Maeser Research Award in 1981. He served his profession as president of the Association for Consumer Research and of the American Academy of Advertising, as executive secretary of both organizations, was elected a research fellow of AAA, and received the ACR Distinguished Service Award. He served as editor of the Journal of Advertising for four years and the Journal of Consumer Satisfaction, Dissatisfaction and Complaining Behavior for 17 years. He was included in the Who’s Who in America from 1984 to 2011. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi (general), Beta Gamma Sigma (business), Kappa Tau Alpha (journalism), and Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics) honor societies.

He served his community of Orem, Utah for two 4-year terms on the City Council (1986-1993), on the 5-citizen committee that developed the Orem Recreation Center, later renamed the Orem Fitness Center, on the Board of Adjustment, on the SCERA board, and on the Strategic Planning committee. He became an ardent fan of Storytelling through the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival and used stories as the basis of his professional research on consumer behavior. He was also a fan of the Heber City Cowboy Poetry gathering.

He is survived by all eight children: Harold David Ernest (Cathy Voegele), Nathan Rex (Rebecca Arner), Tacy Christine (Joseph Wells), Cale Robert (Amy Jones), Sara Rae (Ted Stevens), Katie Sabra (Anthony Steele), Adria Elizabeth (Jody Howse), and Hayley Ann (Steven Peterson). He has 27 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. He has one brother, Lowell Ernest (Diane Rolfing), and one sister, Sheryl Lynn (Stanley Neeleman). He was preceded in death by his parents and sister.

A graveside service will be held by the family. Interment will be in the Orem City Cemetery.

A celebration of his joyful life will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 5:00-9:00 p.m. at Sleepy Ridge Clubhouse in the Garden Room, 730 South Sleepy Ridge Drive, Orem, Utah. Come and enjoy Keith’s favorite foods and share your happy memories.