Donald George Hunter
Donald George Hunter, 65, passed away Thursday at home in Beaumont, Texas, after living many years with Alzheimer's disease.
Don was born Jan. 20, 1951, in Grove City, to George Veston and Evelyn McMichael Hunter.
Don was a graduate of Lakeview High School, class of 1968, and Penn State University in 1972.
During his childhood on the Hunter family farm, Don began his lifelong love of agriculture and livestock. Don was a member of a 4-H Livestock Club, Future Farmers of America and exhibited family livestock at many county fairs.
During his high school years, Don enjoyed the sport of wrestling. He was Lakeview High School's first section champion in the sport.
As an agricultural student at Penn State University, Don worked as a student livestock assistant in the beef and sheep barns. He was president of the Livestock Block and Bridle Club and received the Outstanding Senior Agricultural Student award.
Don received a master's degree in animal science in Portland, Ore.
During his agricultural career, Don managed sheep farms in Iowa and Oregon. While at Oregon, he exhibited sheep on state and national levels. His professional career included a professorship of agricultural science and farm management at Portland Community College, Portland, Ore. In Oregon, Don was also an enthusiastic and beloved leader of a 4-H Livestock Club. His career path led him to return to Pennsylvania where he worked for Penn State Extension as an agricultural education agent in several Western Pennsylvania counties. He was respected by his colleagues for his in-depth knowledge and experience of the agricultural world.
Upon retirement, Don continued to be involved in the livestock industry maintaining a flock of commercial sheep, shearing sheep, working as an instructor of sheepshearing schools, and judging livestock and wool in several counties. He also delighted in working his team of Haflinger draft horses and spending time with his Border Collie dog.
Don was a past president of the Mercer County Sheep and Wool Growers Association, co-chairman of the Keystone Livestock Exposition Sheep Committee, past committee chairman of the Northwest Pennsylvania Cattlemen's Junior Beef Classic and shared his expert wool-grading talents at various county wool pools.
Don is survived by his daughter, Emma Hunter, and her family; his stepdaughter, Lauren Johnson, and her family; and Lisa Hunter, all of Beaumont, Texas.
Survivors also include his eight siblings, Samuel and his wife, Linda, of Hagerstown, Md.; Mary Musser and her husband, Donald, of New Middletown, Ohio; Audrey Wheeler and her husband, Dennis, of Mercer; W. Glenn and his wife, Linda, both of Grove City; Liz Kingsley and her husband, Greg, of Volant; Robert and his wife, Polly, of Pickerington, Ohio; and Hazel, of Stoneboro, and Frank Hunter of Jamestown, N.Y. He also is survived by many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George V. and Evelyn M. Hunter.
HUNTER — A memorial service for Donald George Hunter, who died Thursday, Jan. 5, 2017, will be at 2 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Irwin Presbyterian Church, 3653 Georgetown Road, Stoneboro, Pa., with the Rev. Willard Morris officiating.Memorial contributions may be made to Special Olympics, P.O. Box 1482, Hermitage, PA 16148.Arrangements have been entrusted to the Cunningham Funeral Home, Grove City.
