Jerry Leslie Hunt

Jerry Leslie Hunt was born at Stoll Hospital in West Plains on October 25,1944 and passed away at 81 years of age, on October 25, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, MO.

He was the first son of Leslie and Goldie (Vaughan) Hunt. They lived in Nebraska before returning home to West Plains and Summersville.

Jerry graduated from Summersville High in 1962. He attended Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Arkansas for 3.5 years. He was a member of the ROTC Traveling Rifle team.

On August 21, 1965, he married Marilyn Sue Cooper of Summersville and also a member of the class of 1962. In 1966 they moved from Jonesboro to St. Louis, and both worked at National Life and Accident Ins. Co.: beginning Jerry’s career of lifetime talking. He enjoyed success as Manager of offices at East St Louis, Fairview Heights, Ill, and 28 years at Springfield, Mo., retiring in 2009 although he never really retired. He worked for many years for Kansas City Life and taught insurance classes at SMSU.

He wouldn’t tell you, but his greatest success was being a dad, grandpa, and papa. Although, he would quickly tell you their accomplishments and up until the last two weeks he was on hand at every ball game, grandparents’ day, car race, or horse show.

Jerry was an avid outdoorsman. Enjoying deer season generation after generation from days with his dad and uncle and passing this down to his sons, grandsons, great grandson, cousin Gale, and brother-in-law Jerry Cooper. The stories that were told years after having grown with each telling. It has been said that what happens in the deer woods stays in the deer woods. It has always been such a sacred time that Jerry cherished and looked forward to year after year.

Glendale Christian Church was Jerry’s home in Springfield, MO starting in 1981. There he served as a deacon and was involved with many other activities.

Jerry was so proud and blessed to baptize six of his grandchildren in Buck Creek at Bull Shoals Lake. He was such a leader for his family, bringing them all to know and love the Lord.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Marilyn Sue (Cooper) Hunt; his children, Rod Hunt and wife Misti, Jason Hunt and Wife Wendi, and Jennifer (Hunt) Burke and husband John; his grandchildren, Kelsea (Hunt) Meholic and husband Adam, Logan Henry Hunt, Max Hunt, Brody Hunt, Jayson Burke, Jake Burke, and Bailee Burke; his great-grandchildren, Harper (sweetheart) Meholic and Hudson (little buddy) Meholic; his brothers, Denny Hunt and wife Patty, and Rick Hunt and wife Janet. Many treasured nieces, nephews, brother and sister-in-laws.

He was preceded in death by his parents Leslie and Goldie Hunt, cousins, Gary and Gale Hunt, aunt and uncle, Doc and Ola Mae Hunt, his in-laws, Henry and Iva Cooper, and brother-in-law, Jim Montgomery.

“It is what it is” as he would say and met it head on. He was ready when Heaven was ready for him.

A visitation will be held from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Sunday, November 2, 2025 at J.D. Lee and Sons Funeral Home, Rogersville, Missouri.

A visitation will then be held from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., Monday, November 3, 2025 at Bradford Funeral Home, Summersville, Missouri, with a private burial following at Welch Cemetery.