Betty Louise Hunter

“Betty Lou” as she was affectionately called was born October 23, 1940 to Janie & Fred Hunter Sr. in Arkadelphia, AR.  She joined Mt. Morriah Missionary Baptist at an early age under the leadership of her uncle, Rev. J. S. Newburn.  She attended Mt. Morriah School with her siblings & cousins where she excelled in basketball.  They later transferred to Peake High School where she graduated with the class of 1960. 

 After graduation she moved to Hot Springs where she united with Eureka Missionary Baptist Church, now Historic Eureka Missionary Baptist Church for more than 50 years.  She joined Eureka because it was the church of her sister, Ernestine Rhodes, the Rhodes children & Mrs. Daisy Rhodes. During her years there she served as Youth Sunday School Teacher; Sunday School Member; Youth Leader; Missionary President; Missionary Circle Member; Senior Choir Member; Member of the Volunteers; Usher & Hospitality Member.  Her dedication & involvement to this church family has been unyielding. 

Betty worked many housekeeping jobs in Hot Springs but none as meaningful as that of housekeeper to her two beautiful daughters. When her father became ill, she moved him into her home to take care of him. Her daughters would do the same thing for her. Her last job as a Foster Grandparent was very special to her.

Before her health failed, she was known to share her knowledge of how we were related to different people.  That’s the Betty we will miss most of all. On Wednesday, August 21, 2019, she transitioned from this life at her home in Atlanta, Georgia. 

She was preceded in death by her aforementioned parents; step mother, Anna; siblings & in-laws: Clarence (Ethel) Hunter; Maxine (James) Buckley; Earnestine (Governor) Rhodes; Fred (Seneva) Hunter Jr.; Odessa (Homer) Johnson; Henry (Lou Ella) Hunter; Jessie Mae Hunter; A. J. Hill; Agganice Hunter; Ruthie T. and Ruby Lee Hunter and a special niece Alice Hunter.

Those left to cherish her memory are her two daughters: Andria Yarber &  Jennifer Hunter of Atlanta, GA; sister Maude Hill, Malvern, AR; special niece & nephew Kim & Ronnie Hunter; god son Dr. Keenan J. Davis & god daughter Paulette Sims; many nieces, nephews & cousins.

Submitted by the Hunter Family 

Services will be held at Pleasant Hill AME Church on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Kyle Jones, eulogist. Interment will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Alvin Johnson, Michael Hunter, Vincent Hunter, Michael Smith, Ronnie Hunter, Charles Blacknall and Edward Newburn. Honorary pallbearers Billy Hill, Daryl Ford, Dr. Keenan J. Davis DLP, James & Janice Davis, Stephen Simms & The Flint Family, The Neal Family, The Wiley Family, Eloise Blackmon & Family, Lucille Poland, Residents of the Gaines Street Community, Thomas Newburn, Rev. Douglas P. Newburn, Stewards of Pleasant Hill A.M.E. Church and Deacons of Mt. Morriah Missionary Baptist Church.