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Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection

An inventory of the collection at the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives at Syracuse University

Summary

Creator: Hunt, Karen Lee
Title: Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection
Dates: 1968-2009
Size: 2 boxes, 1 linear foot
Abstract: The Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection contains materials relating to Karen Hunt, one of the 35 students killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 while returning from studying abroad through Syracuse University's Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA).
Language: English
Repository: Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries
222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/pan-am-103

Biography

Karen Lee Hunt

Karen Lee Hunt (1968-1988) was among the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. Karen was a Syracuse University junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She majored in English with a minor in journalism and hoped to be a magazine writer. Karen wrote poetry and kept a journal that was returned to her family after the crash. During her stay in London Karen took great care to buy gifts for her family and friends. One gift of a teapot, bought for her mother Peggy, survived the crash. Karen Lee was a sister of the Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women and is remembered by family and friends as "a warm and caring person who embodied goodness" and had a "generous spirit." She was survived by her parents, Bob and Peggy, and a younger sister, Robyn.

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Scope and Content Note

The Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection contains the series: Albums, Audiovisual material, Condolences, Correspondence, Photographs, and Subject files. The bulk of this collection contains reproductions unless otherwise noted.

Albums consists of a digital version of the newspaper clipping album that created by the Hunt family concerning the Pam Am Flight 103 disaster and Karen. The clippings are dated between 1988 and 2009.

Audiovisual material contains copies of Song For Karen, a tribute to Karen Lee Hunt and the other victims of Pan Am Flight 103 written by Richard Newbegin in 1991.

Condolences includes many of the letters and cards that the Hunt family received after Karen’s death. They range from family friends and relatives, to Karen’s friends from elementary, high school, and university.

Correspondence contains letters from David Johnston, Richard Newbegin, and Ella Ramsden. Ella Ramsden lived in Park Place in Lockerbie during the Lockerbie disaster. She was in her home when Pan Am 103 crashed and her roof was sheared off by the plane. A few years after the disaster Richard Newbegin’s mother moved to Lockerbie and became friends with Ella. When he came to visit his mother they went to Dryfesdale Cemetery where he saw Karen’s plaque. It was then that Richard Newbegin decided to write "Song For Karen." He was desperate to share the song with Karen’s family but had no way to contact them. His mother gave a copy to Ella. Around this time David Johnston, a Scottish police officer assigned to the Lockerbie disaster case came to see Ella to say goodbye as he was going home to Glasgow. David Johnston had been assigned to the Hunt family as their official contact. When he saw the tape and Ella Ramsden told him the story behind it he decided to take it back to the police station. It was soon decided that the family should know about the song and correspondence between Richard Newbegin and the Hunt family began.

Photographs includes portraits of Karen, some prom photos and a photo of a plaque located in Franklin Lake, NJ. There are also photos of Richard Newbegin and his family.

Subject Files there is one file located in this series that contains two sketches of Karen drawn by Margaret Paxton, of Alnwick England.

A significant portion of this collection consists of reproductions of original material held by the Hunt family.

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Alternative Formats

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized. Please contact the archivist for further information on accessing these materials.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions for this collection.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from the Pan Am Flight 103 Archives and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

The Pan Am Flight 103 Archives contains additional materials and information related to the Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection. Related collections include:

On Eagle's Wings Collection

Pan Am Flight 103 Audiovisual Collection

Matthew Cox Papers

London 1988 Image Collection

Pan Am 103 Individuals Collection

Pan Am 103 Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women Collection

Remembrance Quilt Collection

Memorial websites have been created in Karen's honor since her death in 1988. Her parents recommend Remembering Karen Lee Hunt and Memorial for Karen Lee Hunt as resources. Neither of these websites is maintained by the Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives or Syracuse University.

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Selected Search Terms

Names

Hunt, Karen Lee
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing Incident, 1988.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- Case Studies.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States -- History.
Terrorism -- Government Policy -- United States.
Terrorism -- History -- 20th Century.
Lockerbie (Scotland)

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection,
Pan Am Flight 103/Lockerbie Air Disaster Archives
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

The Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection was donated by her parents Robert and Peggy Hunt in 2009.

Processing Information

The Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection is processed.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: Cara A. Howe and Rachael Signy
Date: 2013
Revision history: Jun 2016 - Stylistic changes (VSOM); Feb 2018 - Stylistic changes (VSOM)

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Arrangement

The Karen Lee Hunt Family Collection is arranged alphabetically by series. Folders are arranged alphabetically within each series.

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Inventory

Albums
Box 2 Tragedy of Pan Am 103 newspaper album, book 1 1988-1990 Digital.
Box 2 Tragedy of Pan Am 103 newspaper album, book 2 1990-2009 Digital.
Audiovisual material
Box 1 "20th Anniversary of Pan Am 103," by Joshua Hunt Barry [nephew] F/V 6291 2008 DVD
 "20th Anniversary of Pan Am 103"
Box 1 "Karen Lee Hunt," by Robyn Hunt Barry [sister] F/V 6292 undated DVD
 "Karen Lee Hunt"
Box 1 Karen on day 7/Karen at Jamesville Reservoir with "On the Road to Find Out," by Cat Stevens F/V 6299 May 1988 DVD
Box 1 News clips from Rochester, New York: Karen Lee Hunt memorial service F/V 6307 27 December 1988 DVD
Box 1 News clips from Rochester, New York: Karen Lee Hunt personification F/V 6300 January 1989 DVD
Box 1 Robyn [Hunt] filming around Christmas, "I Love you Karen" F/V 6298 circa December 1988 DVD
Box 1 Robyn [Hunt] filming around Christmas, "When a bell rings an Angel gets her wings," news clips from Rochester, New York F/V 6308 circa December, 1988 DVD
Box 1 Robyn (Hunt) Freshman Dance F/V 6346A-1 c. 1989 DVD
Box 1 "Song for Karen," by Richard Newbegin F/V 6160 1991 CD
Box 1 "Song for Karen," by Richard Newbegin F/V 6160 1991 audio cassette
Box 1 WHEC-TV 10, Rochester, New York: Karen Lee Hunt body mix-up F/V 6306 circa December, 1988
Box 1 WHEC-TV 10, Rochester, new York: Pan Am 103 crash, Karen Lee Hunt on flight F/V 6311 circa December, 1988
Box 1 WOKR-13, Rochester, New York: Karen Lee Hunt F/V 6312 circa December, 1988
Box 1 WROC-TV 8, Rochester, New York: Karen Lee Hunt memorial service coverage F/V 6302 27 December 1988
Condolences
Box 1 Acquaintances December, 1988 - May, 1989
Box 1 Boyfriends December 1988
Box 1 Elementary school friends December 1988-January 1989
Box 1 Employer January 1989
Box 1 High school friends December 1988-January 1990
Box 1 In memory of Karen Lee Hunt undated
Box 1 Mothers of Karen's friends December 1988
Box 1 non-acquaintances December 1988-March 1989
Box 1 Relatives January 1989-January 1991
Box 1 Rose, Lisa December 1989-September 1991
Box 1 Syracuse University friends December 1988-September 1991
Box 1 Teachers December 1988-January 1989
Correspondence
Box 2 Campbell, Peggy August 1992
Box 2 Henry, Lauren circa 1986-1988
 Letter to Lauren Henry from Karen Hunt
 Letter to Lauren Henry from Karen Hunt
Box 2 Johnston, David August 1992
Box 2 Newbegin, Richard about 'Song For Karen" February 1992-March 1992
Box 2 Newbegin, Richard March 1992-October 2009, undated (9 folders)
Box 2 Ramsden, Ella December 1992
Box 2 Tesauro, Joni December 1988 - February 1989
Photographs
Box 2 Dance recital 1978 (This folder contains original prints.)
Box 2 Johnston, David April 1992
Box 2 Karen Hunt and Lauren Henry [roommate] circa 1986
 Karen Hunt and Lauren Henry (roommate) Day Hall, Floor 7
Box 2 London 1988
 Karen Hunt with fellow student
 Karen Hunt with fellow students at Stonehenge
 Students at Stonehenge
 Three London abroad students outside a London subway station
 Karen Hunt and fellow London abroad students standing between columns
 Karen Hunt walking to a small airport, Boulogne sur Mer
 Karen Hunt and fellow London abroad students with a Christmas cake
 Karen Hunt and fellow London abroad students outside near trees
 Karen Hunt posing playfully with two fellow London abroad students
 Karen Hunt and friend posing with two British policemen in Notting Hill Gate
 Karen Hunt and fellow London abroad students gathered behind a table full of food
 Three London abroad students sitting in a church
Box 2 Newbegin, Richard undated (This folder contains original prints.)
 Portrait of Richard Newbegin
Box 2 Memorial plaque [Franklin Lakes, New Jersey] undated (This folder contains original prints.)
 Memorial plaque for Karen Hunt
Box 2 Portraits of Karen Hunt 1968-1987 (This folder contains original prints.)
 Portrait of Karen Hunt
 Portrait of Karen Hunt
 Portrait of Karen Hunt
 Portrait of Karen Hunt for high school graduation
 Portrait of Karen Hunt for Pi Beta Phi
Box 2 Prom 1985-1986 (This folder contains original prints.)
 Prom portrait of Karen Hunt
 Prom portrait of Karen Hunt
Subject files
Box 2 Sketches by Margaret Paxton undated

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