Earl Edwin Hunt was born January 2, 1922 in Haskell County, Texas, to Robert Hunt and Amanda Florence Hunt. Earl served in the U.S. Army Air Forces from 1942 to 1945 as a radio operator and military policeman. He attended Decatur Baptist College and Howard Payne University, receiving a degree in Elementary Education. On August 17, 1952, Earl married Mary Lue King and brought her to Buckner Baptist Orphan’s Home where he worked for 34 years as Houseparent, Caseworker, Teacher, and Principal. From 1970 – 1976, Earl was the director of the Buckner Academy, a special needs educational institution that was the first of its kind in Texas. At Buckner, he was respected for his dedication to mission, unswerving integrity and devotion to principle.
Very much a family man, when not at work Earl could be found with his wife and children taking them on picnics, out for ice cream, to dinner or the mall, the movies and church. Earl was also known to play tennis with his children from time to time.
Earl is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Lue of Bangs, TX, as well as his son Robert and his wife Jackie Hunt of the Woodlands, Texas, his daughter Margaret and her husband Ed Walker of Port St. Lucie, Florida, and his daughter Sharon and her husband Sean Gibbons of San Angelo, TX. Earl also leaves behind his grandchildren: Austin Hunt and his wife Anna, Caroline Hunt, Brooks Walker, Sheena Gibbons, Sean Gibbons and J.B Ramey and his wife Jenny, his sisters Myrtle Hunt and Jerene Bristow. Earl was preceded in death by his brothers James and Carl, both killed in action during World War II, Marcus and Roy, and his sisters Florence Bristow and Vera Hunt.
Earl passed away surrounded by his family at Bangs Nursing Home on April 20, 2015. The funeral service will be held on April 23, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Bangs, with burial following in Bangs Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:00pm until 8:00pm, Wednesday, April 22, 2015.
