Obituaries

William "Bill" Hale Hunt

Photo of William "Bill" Hale Hunt
William "Bill" Hale Hunt, age 85, died peacefully, Friday, October 3, 2014, under the loving care of Arkansas Hospice at St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock. Born December 10, 1928, he was the son of the late Clyde and Dora Hunt of Fordyce, Arkansas. Bill graduated from Fordyce High School and received a football scholarship to the University of Kentucky where legendary Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant was head coach at the time. He earned his bachelor's degree from Arkansas A&M (UAM) where he chose the same career path as the Fordyce High School teachers and coaches who were his mentors and source of inspiration. At college he excelled as a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, and track) and campus leader as vice-president of the student body. Bill's accomplishments included the AIC 440-yard dash championship in 1950. During his college and National Guard years, he also had an undefeated amateur boxing career. After coaching at Rison, Monticello, and Hot Springs, Bill accepted the position of head basketball coach with Malvern Public Schools in 1955. Only two years later, he was named head football coach and Athletic Director. Coach Hunt earned his master's degree from Henderson State University and was appointed principal of Malvern High School in 1966. Coach Hunt subsequently acquired his Ed.S. degree from the University of Arkansas, and in 1970, he was promoted to superintendent, the position in which he faced one of his biggest challenges: the final integration of the Malvern Public Schools. The success and smooth transition of his desegregation plan was a testament to his leadership and deep-rooted belief in fundamental fairness. Mr. Hunt remained superintendent for Malvern Schools until his retirement in 1989. Bill was a member of the First United Methodist Church where he taught adult and youth Sunday School for many years and served on various committees. For several summers when his children were young, he and his wife were directors of Tanako, a United Methodist Church Camp. Bill also served as president for the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, region and district Arkansas Athletic Associations, Malvern Babe Ruth Baseball league, and he was a member of the Lions Club. Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, to whom he was married for 61 years. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Raymond and Richard. Survivors include his daughter, Janet, and her husband, Greg Hartz, of Little Rock; his son, Mark Hunt, and his wife, Phyllis, of Malvern; and four grandchildren: Luke Hunt of Virginia and his wife, Melissa, Wesley Hunt and his wife, Diana, Ben Hartz and his wife, Nicole, and Meredith Shelton and her husband, Luke, all of Little Rock. Bill was also blessed with eight great-grandchildren. He is survived by four siblings: Lou and Henry Hunt of Fordyce, Paul Thomas "Pete"Hunt of Texas, and Louise Barnett of Texas. Appropriately, the scripture read when Bill received the PTA Life Membership in 1974 was Ephesians 5:15-16: "live life then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life, but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of those days. Don't be vague, but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God." (Living Bible). The memorial service will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, October 5, 2014, in the sanctuary of First United Methodist Church with Reverend Mike Fikes officiating. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the service, beginning at 2 p.m. Private interment will be in Shadowlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in the form of contributions to the Bill and Betty Hunt Children's Education Fund, First United Methodist Church, 127 East Page Ave, Malvern, Ark. 72104. Online condolences may be made via jafunkfuneralhome.com.

Published October 4, 2014

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