Thomas "Bud" D. Hunter, III
November 12, 1937 ~ July 1, 2016
Resided in:
Flat Rock, NC
Thomas "Bud" Dunlap Hunter, III was born November 12, 1937 in Charlotte, NC and passed away Friday, July 1, 2016. He was the son of the late Mary Marvin and Thomas Dunlap Hunter, Jr. As a young child, Bud came with his parents to Hendersonville where he attended local schools and graduated from Hendersonville High School in 1956. While there, Bud was an outstanding athlete, leader and a friend to many. Bud graduated from Davidson College in 1960, and then served with the US Army Intelligence in South Korea.
Bud returned to Hendersonville to work in the family business, Hunter Chevrolet. He enjoyed the challenge of growing this business and being involved in the community. Bud served as Vice-chairman of the Community Foundation, President of the Salvation Army, the YMCA and the Chamber of Commerce.
Bud received a Life Time Achievement Award from the Hendersonville Chamber of Commerce and the North Carolina Automobile Dealers' as well as one from Hendersonville High School.
Bud had a life-long passion for the out-of-doors and conservation of the natural environment. He was a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Nature Conservancy and served as a Director of the Natural Heritage Trust Fund of North Carolina.
He is survived by his wife, Randy, and his sons, Tom and Brad along with their wives and 4 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am Thursday in St. James Episcopal Church in Hendersonville. A reception will follow the service.
In Bud's memory, contributions may be made either to the North Carolina or Montana Chapter of Nature Conservancy.
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.
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Randy and family,. . . . . .We extend our sincerest sympathy for your great loss. Words seem so inadequate at a time like this, . . . . .You will be in our prayers and in our hearts.
I am so sorry that Bud passed away. He was truly one of ‘the good guys’, My love and prayers to the family.
May God give you and your families peace and a calmness now and in the future..
What a great guy! One of the smartest most interesting well informed people i’ve ever met.
Randy and family,
I am so saddened to hear about Bud .We stayed in touch through golf and social hours at the Ward Room .He was always a great friend and will be missed by all .
My sympathy and prayers to you and your family .
Randy, I am out of town and so sorry to hear about Bud! You, your boys, Hal and Bob are all in my thoughts and prayers! Betty Girard
Randy, Tom and Brad – So honored to have known Bud….I never saw him without a smile on his face. My sympathy and prayers are for each of you….May God bless Bud!
I am so sorry for your loss. Bud was a great family friend and such a good man. Blessings to your family.
Bud still lives in my memory of him. An excellent student athlete, he demonstrated leadership at Hendersonville High School. More important, he was a good person. May the family be comforted in knowing that so many admired him. He was one of the best.
So sorry to hear of the passing of a great man and good friend. I always found Bud to be an easy person to talk with and enjoyed his easy going personality.
Also possessed a fantastic business mind which certainly lead to his business success.
Our deepest condolences to the family and it goes without saying he and the family will be in our prayers.
Jake and Pat Lowe
Randy, my love and prayers go out to you.
Sending our sympathy, love and prayers for you and your family, Randy. Bud will be fondly remembered and missed.
Dear Randy, Our thoughts and prayers go out to the whole Hunter family. Bud was a wonderful person. We have lost a kind and gentle soul. Love to you all.
Thank you, for giving me the opportunity to work with you and your family so many years ago at Hunter Chevrolet.
Randy and family,
We were so sad to learn about Bud’s passing. He left an indelible mark on this community. May it help you to know there are many people who are thinking of you and caring about you this week. We send our thoughts and prayers.
I am very sorry to hear about Bud ‘? he was a wonderful man and I will always remember his great sense of humor, his generosity, his love for his family, his spirit for adventure, and his eagerness to explore. I am very sorry that I will not be able to attend the service tomorrow.
Randy and Bud were my second set of parents while attending Davidson a few years ago – – when visiting, they always greeted us with open arms and a great home-cooked meal! I will never forget Bud’s endless stories, his natural golf stroke, his prowess with a flyrod, and his words of wisdom when we needed it. Bud loved to tease and joke with the ones he loved in a playful way’? especially Randy, Tom and Brad’?it was great to watch them all have fun together ‘? a very special and unique bond they share as a family.
Randy did her best to keep us (including Bud) in line when all of the boys would get together and we were responsible for a few of Bud’s gray hairs for sure. Despite our antics, Bud always had a smile on his face and he did his best to make lemonade out of the lemons we consistently dropped on his lap. I will cherish the memories of our fishing and ski trips in Montana, Turks and Caicos, Crested Butte, and North Carolina.
Bud had a presence about him that was so warm, gentle, and inviting ‘? he really cared about his friends and made everyone around him feel special. We are all lucky to be a part of Bud’s life and his legacy will carry on through his wonderful family, his friends, and everyone he touched during his time with us.
Joan & I were so sorry to hear of Bud’s passing. He was a great guy and a great friend. His death is a loss to not only those who knew him, but to our whole community. We were all better for having known him. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Randy and her family and to Hal and his.