When a stroke took away her ability to sing, she turned to art as a form of self-expression, taking classes at the Florida Presbyterian Homes and producing a number of well-acclaimed paintings.
Along with her husband, she traveled and camped in the United States and around the world. She was a member of Westminster church, Lakeland, and had been a resident of the Florida Presbyterian Homes since 1989.
A native of Denver, Colo., she moved with her family to Coral Gables, Fla., when she was six. Her parents, A. Bruce and Nell Downer Minear, were charter members of the Coral Gables church.
Mrs. Hunt attended Maryville College, Tenn., and graduated summa cum laude from Iowa Wesleyan College where she majored in music and science. She was initiated into Chapter Original A of the PEO Sisterhood, one of the pioneer philanthropic educational societies for women, founded in 1869 at Iowa Wesleyan. During her lifetime, Mrs. Hunt was a member and officer in chapters in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia and Florida, where she belonged to Chapter AW in Lakeland.
In 1943 she married George Laird Hunt, who was editor of The Outlook from 1979 to 1989. They have three children: Laurence Hunt of Lakeland; Bruce L. Hunt of Dover, Del.; and Marcia Beth Hunt of Newark, N.J. Mrs. Hunt is also survived by a sister, Nell Louise Mitchel of Loveland, Colo., eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A memorial service is scheduled for Dec. 3 in Glenn Moore Chapel at Florida Presbyterian Homes with interment to follow in the homes’ Memorial Garden. Memorial gifts may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church, 730 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland, FL 33801; or to Maryville College, 501 E. Lamar Alexander Parkway, Maryville, TN 37084.
“The Outlook‘s board and staff give thanks to God for the life and gifts of Mary Alice Minear Hunt which so richly blessed us all,” said Editor Robert H. Bullock Jr. “Our prayer is that George will be upheld and strengthened by God’s sustaining grace in the days ahead. We express deep gratitude for their outstanding contribution to The Presbyterian Outlook during George’s 10-year tenure as editor.”