James Milton Hunter was born on February 3, 1943 to the late Selma and Lillie Mae Hunter. He was the eldest of seven children and entered into rest on February 2, 2021. He was 77 years old.
James met the love of his life, Jessie Chatman in 1970. Together they had eight children between them and he loved them all to the very end. He was a great husband and father who will be sorely missed by his family.
James had a fondness for learning and all things sports. After high school, he entered into the Navy, serving nine years before enlisting into the U.S. Army. His military service spanned almost 30 years. In 1984, with the rank of Sargent First Class, he was honorably discharged while stationed at the Military Academy at West Point. One of his career highlights while serving as an EEOC Race Relations Specialist included helping to craft the race relations manual that is still in use today. While in the military, James achieved his Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Education degrees.
Anyone who knew James can attest to football being his ultimate passion. He took great pride in working with youth in Little League Football, which later led to his coaching Varsity football at James I. O’Neill High School in Highland Falls, New York. In addition to coaching, he was also a high school Social Studies teacher, and he retired from the Highland Falls Central School District in 2000.
At the urging of his wife, the family ultimately settled in Las Vegas. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling, family gatherings, watching westerns and reminiscing about his military career.
James is survived by his wife of 49 years, Jessie; his six daughters, Cassandra, Claudia, Valencia, Renee, Cheryl and Alissa; two sons, Jimmy and Michael, six siblings, Dunnie, Jean, Robert, Taska Lynn, Michael and Letitia; 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. A special thanks to his care givers, Brenda Johnson and Dorothy Abernathy (nurses), and his honorary sons and grandson, Derek Turner, Ali Sadavi and Thomas “TJ” Johnson. James was preceded in death by his parents and granddaughter, Jessica Jaymes Brown.
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