John Hunter

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- John Alfred Hunter, 78, died Saturday, Nov. 25, 2006, at Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

He was born Aug. 24, 1928, in New Madrid, to the late Tom Furg and Mary C. "May" Gallivan Hunter. He and Marie Householder were married April 19, 1954, in New Madrid.

A lifelong resident of New Madrid, he owned and operated Hunter Service Station, and was a rural mail carrier 35 years, retiring in 1991. He was an alderman with the city of New Madrid more than 26 years.

He was a lifetime member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, American Legion Post 595 and its Honor Guard.

Mr. Hunter was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Survivors include his wife; four sons and three daughters-in-law, John and Anita Hunter of St. Louis, Tom Hunter of Kabul, Afghanistan, Shapley R. and Judy Hunter of Thebes, Ill., Jim Digges and Susan Hunter of Hunterville, N.C.; a daughter, Leann Hunter Branum of New Madrid; three brothers, Gallivan and Martha Hunter and Henry and Mary Ann Hunter of New Madrid, Jim Digges Hunter of Rolla, Mo.

Also a sister-in-law, Doris Hendricks of Cape Girardeau; a brother-in-law, Jerry Householder of Benton, Mo.; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; a special sister, Betty Sides; and two "spare sons", Michael Hunter and Phillip Traughber.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Joanne Hunter and Nancy Kaiser, two brothers, Tom Hunter Jr. and Charles R. Hunter.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Richards Funeral Home in New Madrid. The rosary will be recited at 6:30.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with the Rev. Randy Tochtrop officiating. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105-1942.