James Howard “J.H.” Hunter, Jr.
James Howard “J.H.” Hunter, Jr.
1937-2015
James Howard “J.H.” Hunter, Jr. of Grant City, Missouri, passed away at his home on the evening of March 28, 2015, at the age of 77. He was born in Harris, Missouri on November 24, 1937, to the Reverend James Howard Hunter, Sr. and Coy Mae (Rockhold) Hunter.
J.H. attended Pine Grade School until he started Princeton High School where he graduated in 1955. After graduation, J.H. remained in Princeton where he worked at a local grocery store and then for the Farmers Bank until joining the Army. During his enlistment, J.H. served as a communications operator and paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division. He had tours of duty in Okinawa and was sent to the Dominican Republic uprising in Santa Domingo. His last duty station was at Ft. Bragg, N.C. from which he was honorably discharged.
After leaving the military, J.H. and his wife, June, relocated back to Princeton where he worked a short time for Lowry Lumber Yard and at the Aryliner Food Mart. He then returned to banking where he graduated from the Wisconsin School of Banking and the Norman, Oklahoma School of Banking. J.H. worked in the banking industry for over 30 years in Princeton, Maryville, and Grant City, Missouri. He worked the last eight years for the Department of Corrections in Maryville, Missouri as a correctional officer.
J.H. was married to June Nickell of Lineville, Iowa, on May 24, 1964. They enjoyed celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this past year and were surrounded by family and friends during a reception and celebration at the Hal England Center in Princeton.
Outside of work, J.H. was a member of the Fairley Baptist Church, a former ham radio operator, a member of the Princeton Flying Club, a member of the Masonic Lodge, and was a former Golden Gloves boxer, winning several fights in the ring. He loved to fly and play golf.
J.H. is preceded in death by his parents, Rev Howard and Coy Hunter; an infant son, Paul Wesley; a brother, Roy Lee Hunter; two sisters-in-law, Thelma Hunter and Frankie Lemaster; two brothers-in-law, Larry McAninch and Jerry Logan; a nephew, Gary Logan; and by his in-laws, Anna and Wesley Nickell.
He is survived by his wife, June, of Grant City, Missouri; his daughter, Theresa of Westminster, Colorado; his son, Brandon and wife, Sheri of Essex, Iowa; four grandchildren, Jaron, Jediah, Asher, and Rayna Hunter; two sisters, Deloris Ferguson and husband, Darl of Princeton, and Judy Brown and husband, Ron of Columbia, Missouri; a brother-in-law, Don Nickell and wife, Li-Li of Salem, Virginia; and by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 3, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., at the Greenlee-Middleton Funeral Chapel in Princeton, Missouri, with Rev. Bob McCutcheon officiating. Burial will be in the Princeton Cemetery.
Open visitation and viewing will begin at 8:30 a.m., Thursday, at the funeral chapel where the family visitation will be from 7:00-8:00 p.m., Thursday evening.
Cards may be mailed to the family at P.O. Box 144, Grant City, MO 64456. Memorial donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.
