From the Ralph Buckner Funeral Home announcement
Betty Lorene Hunter
January 22, 1927 - February 18, 2012
Betty Lorene Williams Hunter, a long-time resident of Cleveland, has joined her husband, Bishop Harper Hunter of 65 years, in the Celestial City of God. The culmination of years of ministry together has ended in reaching the glorious goal of her life—to rule and reign with the King of kings and Lord of lords! Her evanescent flesh gave up as she transitioned to a new life in Christ on Saturday, February 18, 2012, in the presence of family and friends.
Betty Lorene was born on a cold January 22nd in 1927 to parents James and Sadie Williams of Akron, Ohio and attended school in her home town until her graduation from Bucktel High School in 1945. She took piano lessons as a preteen and later joined her guitar-playing mother in the Akron Church of God of Prophecy band, playing piano, organ or drums—whatever instrument was needed.
It would not take long before a young visiting evangelist holding a revival at her local church decided to snatch her up as she seemed the perfect minister’s wife. She married Harper Hunter in 1945 in between two scheduled revival campaigns he was holding and the rest of the story more or less became history. The young evangelistic team traveled far and wide, pulling a trailer behind with her Hammond organ and other musical instruments the two played. This was the infancy of a ministry that later became well known—covering her duties as the spouse of an evangelist/pastor/state overseer/general headquarters official—as Betty dutifully took her husband’s ministry as her own and made it better.
To this union was born a son, Harold, and several years later a daughter, Deborah. Betty also worked at Preston Printing, White Wing Publishing House, and various state offices of the Church of God of Prophecy. The ministry with Harper resulted in taking up residences in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wyoming, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi as she served as First Lady of the states where her husband served as overseer or headquarters official. During the years of the Hunters’ ministry as state overseers, the youth and children at the many state youth camps fell in love with “Grandma Hunter” (as she would instruct them to call her) due to her fun-loving games and pranks.
Betty Hunter is survived by her son, Dr. Harold D. Hunter and wife Sondra of Oklahoma City; her daughter, Deborah S. Hunter Jones of Smyrna; granddaughter, Heidi Jones Bradley and husband Blake of Nashville; grandson, Matthew Landon Jones of Nashville; great-grandchildren: Ceylon, Lennon, Jude and Aerelyn Lorene Bradley of Nashville; her brother, Richard L. Williams and wife Barbara of Kansas City, Missouri; her brother-in-law, Thomas Dudding of Cleveland; her sister-in-law, Helen Hunter Batson of Roseburg, Oregon, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Bishop Harper Hunter; her parents, James W. and Sadie D. Williams of Akron, Ohio; her brothers, James W. Williams, Jr., and Clifford Williams of Akron, Ohio, and Bill E. Williams of South Carolina; a sister, Roberta A. Dudding of Cleveland, Tennessee; mother and father-in-law, Harper and Edith Hunter of Ashland City, Tennessee; her son-in-law, Rev. Mikey Jones, Jr. of Smyrna; and brother-in-law, Rev. Charles Batson of Roseburg, Oregon.
Family visitation will be Saturday, February 25th, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., with the memorial service starting at 1 p.m. at the Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum. Officiating ministers will be Bishop Fred S. Fisher Sr., former general overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy, Rev. Kay Horner, National Coordinator of Cry Out America, Rev. Terry Fowler, Assistant to Presiding Bishop of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, and Rev. Steven Spears, Associate Pastor of the Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy.
Betty Williams Hunter will be remembered as having inspired hope in many, shown compassion to more than most, and having embraced those rejected by others. Her memorial service will be dedicated to the theme “I Surrender All” as depicted in this famous hymn.
Ralph Buckner Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Hunter family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.
Betty Lorene Hunter
January 22, 1927 - February 18, 2012
Betty Lorene Williams Hunter, a long-time resident of Cleveland, has joined her husband, Bishop Harper Hunter of 65 years, in the Celestial City of God. The culmination of years of ministry together has ended in reaching the glorious goal of her life—to rule and reign with the King of kings and Lord of lords! Her evanescent flesh gave up as she transitioned to a new life in Christ on Saturday, February 18, 2012, in the presence of family and friends.
Betty Lorene was born on a cold January 22nd in 1927 to parents James and Sadie Williams of Akron, Ohio and attended school in her home town until her graduation from Bucktel High School in 1945. She took piano lessons as a preteen and later joined her guitar-playing mother in the Akron Church of God of Prophecy band, playing piano, organ or drums—whatever instrument was needed.
It would not take long before a young visiting evangelist holding a revival at her local church decided to snatch her up as she seemed the perfect minister’s wife. She married Harper Hunter in 1945 in between two scheduled revival campaigns he was holding and the rest of the story more or less became history. The young evangelistic team traveled far and wide, pulling a trailer behind with her Hammond organ and other musical instruments the two played. This was the infancy of a ministry that later became well known—covering her duties as the spouse of an evangelist/pastor/state overseer/general headquarters official—as Betty dutifully took her husband’s ministry as her own and made it better.
To this union was born a son, Harold, and several years later a daughter, Deborah. Betty also worked at Preston Printing, White Wing Publishing House, and various state offices of the Church of God of Prophecy. The ministry with Harper resulted in taking up residences in Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wyoming, South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, South Carolina, and Mississippi as she served as First Lady of the states where her husband served as overseer or headquarters official. During the years of the Hunters’ ministry as state overseers, the youth and children at the many state youth camps fell in love with “Grandma Hunter” (as she would instruct them to call her) due to her fun-loving games and pranks.
Betty Hunter is survived by her son, Dr. Harold D. Hunter and wife Sondra of Oklahoma City; her daughter, Deborah S. Hunter Jones of Smyrna; granddaughter, Heidi Jones Bradley and husband Blake of Nashville; grandson, Matthew Landon Jones of Nashville; great-grandchildren: Ceylon, Lennon, Jude and Aerelyn Lorene Bradley of Nashville; her brother, Richard L. Williams and wife Barbara of Kansas City, Missouri; her brother-in-law, Thomas Dudding of Cleveland; her sister-in-law, Helen Hunter Batson of Roseburg, Oregon, and a host of nieces and nephews.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Bishop Harper Hunter; her parents, James W. and Sadie D. Williams of Akron, Ohio; her brothers, James W. Williams, Jr., and Clifford Williams of Akron, Ohio, and Bill E. Williams of South Carolina; a sister, Roberta A. Dudding of Cleveland, Tennessee; mother and father-in-law, Harper and Edith Hunter of Ashland City, Tennessee; her son-in-law, Rev. Mikey Jones, Jr. of Smyrna; and brother-in-law, Rev. Charles Batson of Roseburg, Oregon.
Family visitation will be Saturday, February 25th, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m., with the memorial service starting at 1 p.m. at the Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens and Mausoleum. Officiating ministers will be Bishop Fred S. Fisher Sr., former general overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy, Rev. Kay Horner, National Coordinator of Cry Out America, Rev. Terry Fowler, Assistant to Presiding Bishop of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, and Rev. Steven Spears, Associate Pastor of the Peerless Road Church of God of Prophecy.
Betty Williams Hunter will be remembered as having inspired hope in many, shown compassion to more than most, and having embraced those rejected by others. Her memorial service will be dedicated to the theme “I Surrender All” as depicted in this famous hymn.
Ralph Buckner Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
We invite you to send a message of condolence and view the Hunter family guestbook at www.ralphbuckner.com.
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