Obituary of James M Hunter

James Hunter, Obituary On the evening of May 2, 2019, at Yuma Regional Medical Center, James M. Hunter of Union, WA, went home to be with his Lord. He was 87 years old. Jim was born on April 10, 1932 in Shelton, WA to Paul and Mary Hunter. He lived most of his life on the family homestead in the Skokomish Valley. He graduated in 1950 from Irene S. Reed High School, and on November 3, 1951 married his grade school sweetheart, Joan Fuller. Joan was his first and only love, and theirs was the happiest of marriages. They lived in Bamberg, Germany, where he served in the Army during the Korean War, and returned home to the Skokomish Valley, where he set about his life-long work of preserving the family farm. He was a farmer, as his father and grandfather before him, milking at one time up to 250 cows. As a youth, he helped his dad deliver milk all the way up to Bremerton and the surrounding areas. As an adult, he started planting and selling the famous Hunter Corn to grocery stores up and down the same route. In 1973, he sold the dairy cows and turned his attention to growing Christmas trees full time. He purchased an additional tree farm on the Yelm Hwy in Olympia, where he and Joan, along with their children, started the Hunter Family Farm and Christmas tree business. Jim farmed many years with his sons, growing and selling trees around the world. He also served as president of the NW Christmas Tree Association. Jim and Joan were world travelers, visiting such exotic destinations as Thailand, China, Brazil, Turkey, Tahiti, and Greece among others! They loved taking cruises, including a 50th-anniversary Hawaiian tour with their children and grandchildren on board. They also traveled extensively around the U.S. in their motorhome. They built a winter home at Foothills, AZ, where they shared many great adventures and fun times with their Foothills neighbors and Jeep buddies. Jim shared his love of the Olympic Mountains with his family, taking them on many pack trips through the mountains on horseback. They visited such beautiful places as Home Sweet Home, Enchanted Valley, and Seven Lakes Basin, sleeping under the stars. Jim and Joan were life-long members of the Shelton First Baptist Church, where they raised their children and grandchildren to love and serve the Lord. He served several years as a deacon. In 2009, Jim and Joan purchased their beloved home on the Hood Canal. There he turned his attention to restoring the gardens and home where his father had spent his last years. Papa Jim loved his family. He was a faithful husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He was a quiet man, but when spoke it was with wisdom, patience, kindness, and gentleness. He was a life-long learner who was always interested in current events, history, and reading his Bible and Louis L’Amour novels. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Robert Hunter, brother Warren Hunter, sister Gayle Hurst, and his in-laws Ruth and Howard Fuller. He is survived by his beloved wife, Joan, and by his son Curt (Sandy) Hunter of Skokomish Valley; daughter, Jayni (Dave) Kamin of Shelton; son Greg (Tami) Hunter of Olympia; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren; his sisters-in-law Gail (Gary) Williams, and Beverly Wallace; his brother, Bill Hunter; and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 1pm on Monday, May 13, 2019 at Shelton First Baptist Church. In lieu of follows donations can be made to Shelton First Baptist Church.