Andrew H. Hunter

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Andrew H. "Andy" Hunter, 83, well-known farmer and retired Columbia businessman, died Thursday, February 21, 2013 at Maury Regional Medical Center.
Those wishing to personally express condolences are invited to visit with the family at Oakes & Nichols Friday between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with Randy Owens and Judge Bobby Sands officiating. Burial will follow in Maury Memorial Gardens. Notes of sympathy may be extended at oakesandnichols.com.
The family suggests memorials to Columbia Academy, 1101 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401, West 7th Street Church of Christ, 405 West 7th Street, Columbia 38401, or World Christian Broadcasting, 605 Bradley Court, Franklin 37067.
The Maury County native lived his entire life in Maury County and was a son of the late John Norris Hunter, Sr. and Ida Hayes Hunter. His one brother, John Norris Hunter, Jr., also preceded him in death.
He attended Beechland School in the Bear Creek Community, Riverside Elementary School, Whitthorne Junior High School and Columbia Central High School, graduating with the Class of 1947.
He was Vice President of both his Junior and Senior Classes and voted by his classmates his senior year "Most Likely to Succeed." Later, he enrolled for classes at the University of Tennessee College of Agriculture in Knoxville, attended Columbia Business College, Columbia State Community College and Harding University Graduate School at Memphis. All these studies he blended with knowledge gained from association, experience, advice, and instruction of many family members, friends, and professionals.
During the Korean War, he served in the U. S. Army after schooling at Maxwell Field Service School at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He was assisgned to the 707th Medical Detachment, but remained stateside at Fort Belvoir, Virginia and wore the Washington Monument Shoulder Patch. After an honorable discharge he took employment with the United States Department of Agriculture as Manager of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Office in Maury County. In 1956, he devoted himself to operating the Bob Hunter Furniture Company on the Public Square in Columbia.
In 1962, Mr. Hunter married Lenora Dodson Walker, "the love of his life," and they made their home at "Hunter Place" in the Bear Creek Community for most of their married life.
Always having some activity in a farming program, he involved himself more deeply in farming operations beginning in 1970. He continued to be civic-minded and participated in many efforts of organizations serving his local community, Maury County, and statewide.
The quality of Mr. Hunter's life profited from many of the experiences gained in being part of farm organizations. As a youngster, in the Future Farmers of America, he served in local offices before his election as President of the Tennessee Association of FFA.
He served on the boards of Maury County Farm Bureau, Maury County Mental Health, and Maury County American Red Cross. Additionally, he was a member of the Tennessee Public Policy Board, Citizens Advisory Board of Columbia Health Care Center, Duck River Electric Membership Board, Columbia State Community College Foundation Board of Trustees, Columbia State Community College Board of Trustees, and for 35 years served on the Middle Tennessee Bank Board of Trustees. He also was a volunteer for Maury Regional Medical Center Auxillary and former member of Herbert Griffin American Legion Post #19, Columbia Kiwanis Club, and Maury County Historical Society.
Andy Hunter's life was lived in devotion to Jesus Christ. He was a member of West 7th Street Church of Christ where he taught the college-age class for several years and youth and adult Sunday School classes at Berea Church of Christ where he worshipped as a young man. He also taught youth and adult Bible classes and worked with the education program at Graymere Church of Christ for many years.
Lenora's family was Andy's family and includes brothers-in-law, B. Wilkes (Wilma) Dodson and P. Dwight Dodson of Columbia; sisters-in-law, Anne (Billy) Gibson of Columbia and Elaine (Lyle) Amlin of Anderson, California; nieces, Beverly Ann Dodson (Clay) Harris of Columbia, Melinda Sue Amlin (Scott) Wlodarczyk of Redding, California; Kimberly Ann Amblin (Curtis) Barrick of Yuba City, California; nephews, Richard "Ricky" Allen Dodson of Columbia, Sidney Wilkes Gibson of Manchester, Robert Anthony Gibson of Columbia, William "Bill" Gibson of Columbia, Lane Rolland Amlin of Cottonwood, California, and David Christopher Dodson of Columbia.
Serving as active pallbearers are his six nephews, Richard Allen Dodson, David Christopher Dodson, Sidney Wilkes Gibson, Robert Anthony Gibson, William "Bill" Gibson, Lane Rolland Amlin, and Clay Harris, Jay Burns, Michael Beard, Donald Dugger, Carter England, and Shane Keith. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Hriski Kanth, Dr. Willie Robinson, and Elders of West 7th Street Church of Christ.