Henry Lee Hunter, 84

Henry Lee Hunter, 84, of Pomeroy, passed away peacefully on Monday evening, February 13, 2017, with his family at his side.

Born February 22, 1932 in Greenview, West Virginia, he was the son of the late Ramie Lawrence Hunter and Zelma Baisden Hunter. He was a 1950 graduate of Scott High School, Madison, West Virginia.

A U.S. Navy Veteran, serving as a radio operator aboard the U.S.S. Cassin Young (DD793) during the Korean conflict, Henry was a founding member, past-post commander and life member of Stewart-Johnson V.F.W. Post #9926, Mason, WV, and a member of American Legion Post 140, New Haven, WV. He was particularly proud of his former ship’s preservation as a floating museum, maintained by the National Park Service at Pier 1 of Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard, and enjoyed reunions and return visits to the Fletcher-class destroyer with shipmates and family thru the years.

Henry worked on the C&O Railroad in Peach Creek, WV before hiring on at Kaiser Aluminum in Ravenswood, West Virginia in April, 1959. He was a proud member and past-vice president of United Steelworkers Local #5668. Working alongside his brother “Doc,” Henry represented union workers at Ravenswood in international contract negotiations with Kaiser Aluminum during the late 1960s and the 1970s, and was an active presence working on behalf of union families. Following his retirement from Ravenswood Aluminum in 1989, Henry continued his labor relations career with the State of Ohio.

Growing up in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, Henry joined family members and friends at an early age performing with gospel quartets in churches. He was a man of deep and abiding Christian faith, sharing his testimony thru music and beloved hymns he performed with his brothers and sisters, The Hunter Family. Since settling in Meigs County, Ohio in 1963, Henry and his wife, Mary, attended the Chester Church of the Nazarene.

A lifelong Democrat, Henry was very active in political causes and local, state and national campaigns throughout his life. He served as Chairman of the Meigs County Democratic Party from 1983-89, and as a past member of the Meigs County Board of Elections. He was actively involved in work to improve and benefit the community, serving as a longtime volunteer with the Chester Volunteer Fire Department’s fund raising efforts at the Meigs County Fair and establishing the former Chester Academy building as a home for scouting and local 4-H groups as one of the founding members of the Chester Youth Committee.

Henry is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Jane Curtis Hunter; daughter, Rachel (Mark) Livengood of Arden, North Carolina; son, Tom (Lauren) Hunter of Evans, West Virginia; brothers, Harry (Barbara) Hunter of Millwood, West Virginia, Hansel (Carolyn) Hunter of Custer, South Dakota, Herman (Kathy) Hunter of Mason, West Virginia, Homer Hunter of Stony Bottom, West Virginia; sisters, Roberta Harbison of Huber Heights, Ohio, and Sue Maison of Tuppers Plains, Ohio; brother-in-law Roger (Ethel) Curtis of Weston, West Virginia, and sisters-in-law, Anna (Stanley) Lough of French Creek, West Virginia, Elsie Hunter of Cleveland, Ohio, and Betty Curtis of Buckhannon, West Virginia; special friends and Navy shipmates Merle (Sheila) Horstman of Kennewick, Washinton and Orvis “Wink” (Marcie) Jorgensen of Waubay, South Dakota; several nieces, nephews and cousins, and many, many friends.

Henry leaves behind five beloved grandchildren: Mary-Patricia (Ira) Wray of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Hannah (Brian) Krietzer of Miamisburg, Ohio, Hailey Hunter of Huntington, West Virginia, and Sydney and Hayden Hunter of Evans, West Virginia; and one expected great-grandchild.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one brother, Herschel “Doc” Hunter, and brothers-in-law, Harley Harbison and Jack Curtis.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Monday, February 20, 2017 at Anderson McDaniel Funeral Home, 509 E. Main St., Pomeroy. Burial will be in Meigs Memory Gardens, Pomeroy, with graveside military rites. Visiting hours will be from 3-6 p.m., Sunday, February 19, 2017 at the funeral home, as well as one hour prior to Monday’s service.

In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates memorial contributions in Henry’s name to support the Honor Flight Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of America’s veterans and honoring their sacrifices, to Honor Flight Dayton Inc., 200 Canary Ct., Enon, Ohio 45323

A registry is available at www.andersonmcdaniel.com