Helen R. Hunter, 89, died at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Elmhaven West.
She was born April 15, 1924, to Arthur W. and Emma (Clark) Thomas of rural Altamont.
She graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1942 and taught three years in rural schools and two and a half years in Oswego.
Except for about two years, she lived in Labette County her entire life.
She worked short stints at Wichita verifying wheat weight figures for elevators and at Miami, Okla., in a sewing factory. She wanted to help with the war effort, so she moved to Chicago at the end of World War II and lived there 16 months, working at the Merchandise Mart to check dates of war bonds. But she decided city life was not for her and returned to Southeast Kansas to teach.
She married Paul W. Hunter, a farmer of rural Parsons, on Nov. 6, 1949. He preceded her in death on June 5, 2010.
After her marriage, she dedicated the rest of her life to being a good wife and mother. She helped on the farm, cleaning the milk tank at the dairy and driving trucks at harvest. She supported Paul in his many civic activities, traveling to Washington, D.C., with him 12 times as he testified before congressional committees and lobbied officials on behalf of the See-Kan Resource Conservation & Development organization. She was a project leader for the Thrifty Thrivers 4-H Club and spent many years chauffeuring children to 4-H, school and church activities.
She and Paul were honored as a Master Farmer and Master Farm Homemaker in 1983 by Kansas State University Research and Extension Service.
She was a faithful member of Center Bethel Church for more than 60 years.
She enjoyed many trips with her husband and her sister, Marcell (Thomas) Jones, and brother-in-law, Byron Jones. She traveled to all 50 states, Mexico and Canada.
She is survived by her five children, Kay (Hunter) McNeil and her husband, Jack, of Taylor, Texas, Bill Hunter of Pratt, Bob Hunter and his wife, Alynn Jackson, of Overland Park, Carol Hunter and her husband, Tom Perry, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Barry Hunter and his wife, Jayne, of Fort Smith, Ark. She also has eight grandchildren, Jack Hunter and his wife, Jessica, of Seattle, Marlene Simes and her husband, Les, of rural Ottawa, Emily Hunter of Guildford, England, Gene McNeil of Amarillo, Texas, Quin Jackson of Fort Collins, Colo., Erin Hunter of Fayetteville, Ark., Landon Hunter of Stillwater, Okla., and Jenna Hunter of Fort Smith. She also has six great-grandchildren, Joe, Brittany and Taylor Heinitz, all of Berryville, Ark., Breely McNeil of Amarillo and Samuel and Thomas Hunter of Seattle.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Warren and Vernon; and a sister, Marcell.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Center Bethel Church in rural Parsons. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. today at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 112 N. 26th.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Center Bethel Church.
Helen R. Hunter, 89, died at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 2, 2014, at Elmhaven West.
She was born April 15, 1924, to Arthur W. and Emma (Clark) Thomas of rural Altamont.
She graduated from Labette County Community High School in 1942 and taught three years in rural schools and two and a half years in Oswego.
Except for about two years, she lived in Labette County her entire life.
She worked short stints at Wichita verifying wheat weight figures for elevators and at Miami, Okla., in a sewing factory. She wanted to help with the war effort, so she moved to Chicago at the end of World War II and lived there 16 months, working at the Merchandise Mart to check dates of war bonds. But she decided city life was not for her and returned to Southeast Kansas to teach.
She married Paul W. Hunter, a farmer of rural Parsons, on Nov. 6, 1949. He preceded her in death on June 5, 2010.
After her marriage, she dedicated the rest of her life to being a good wife and mother. She helped on the farm, cleaning the milk tank at the dairy and driving trucks at harvest. She supported Paul in his many civic activities, traveling to Washington, D.C., with him 12 times as he testified before congressional committees and lobbied officials on behalf of the See-Kan Resource Conservation & Development organization. She was a project leader for the Thrifty Thrivers 4-H Club and spent many years chauffeuring children to 4-H, school and church activities.
She and Paul were honored as a Master Farmer and Master Farm Homemaker in 1983 by Kansas State University Research and Extension Service.
She was a faithful member of Center Bethel Church for more than 60 years.
She enjoyed many trips with her husband and her sister, Marcell (Thomas) Jones, and brother-in-law, Byron Jones. She traveled to all 50 states, Mexico and Canada.
She is survived by her five children, Kay (Hunter) McNeil and her husband, Jack, of Taylor, Texas, Bill Hunter of Pratt, Bob Hunter and his wife, Alynn Jackson, of Overland Park, Carol Hunter and her husband, Tom Perry, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Barry Hunter and his wife, Jayne, of Fort Smith, Ark. She also has eight grandchildren, Jack Hunter and his wife, Jessica, of Seattle, Marlene Simes and her husband, Les, of rural Ottawa, Emily Hunter of Guildford, England, Gene McNeil of Amarillo, Texas, Quin Jackson of Fort Collins, Colo., Erin Hunter of Fayetteville, Ark., Landon Hunter of Stillwater, Okla., and Jenna Hunter of Fort Smith. She also has six great-grandchildren, Joe, Brittany and Taylor Heinitz, all of Berryville, Ark., Breely McNeil of Amarillo and Samuel and Thomas Hunter of Seattle.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Warren and Vernon; and a sister, Marcell.
The service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Center Bethel Church in rural Parsons. Burial will be in Spring Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. today at the Carson-Wall Funeral Home, 112 N. 26th.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Center Bethel Church.
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