Nathan Burl Hunter

Nathan was born on April 18, 1956, to Calvin and Lola, in the small Texas town of Waxahachie. He was the middle child of three, with elder brother Calvin Eugene, and little sister Teresa. Nathan often went by the nickname of Nate, but in his own mind he was always “Big Nate” or “Nate the great”.

Nate was always a very patriotic person and loved his country greatly. He joined the Marine Corps at the age of 17 and was stationed in San Diego, Camp Pendleton. Even though he only served for four years, he was always and forever a Marine, and looked back on his days in the Corps with fond memories.

Nathan met his loving wife Beth at church in 1975, on a blind date set up for them by their best friends Paula and Jay. They were married two days before Valentines Day in 1977, in Anaheim, Ca. He was 20 years old, and Beth was 17. They most recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary.

Married life was an adjustment for the couple, having come from very different backgrounds. Their first child, Heather, was born in 1980, with twin boys, Adam, and Aaron, coming along in 1982. Those years with young, rambunctious children were an even greater adjustment for them and passed by in a blur. Nathan and Beth purchased their first home in Riverside in 1984 and never left.

Nate was always a very hard worker, often putting in a full day on the job and then coming home and working around his own home or helping one of his many friends with jobs in their homes. He held several different jobs both before and after his time in the Corps, before getting hired at Pacific Bell, now known as AT&T. He was a telephone lineman for 30 years, before opting for an early retirement in 2010.

When Nathan wasn’t working hard, he was playing harder. He loved to be outdoors, whether camping, boating, shooting, taking road trips, gardening, or just hanging out with his best bud Shaggy, watching the birds and the ants making their homes and yelling at the squirrels dropping acorns on his head as he sat under the trees.

Nathan was a stubborn and opinionated man, who loved to impart his wisdom to anyone who would listen. He didn’t have much of a filter between his brain and his mouth, but once you understood that he said the things he did because he loved you and wanted to “help” you, it was all good. He was also a very generous and loving man, fiercely protective of his wife and children and grandchildren. He was faithful to take care of his in-laws when they faced illness and death, bringing them into his home and doing all he could to help them in their time of need. He greatly enjoyed making jokes and sharing his unique sense of humor, and some of these jokes were told ad nauseum for many years. “Does your face hurt?” is a question that we will always associate with Nate.

Nathan loved the Lord and accepted Him as Savior many years ago. He made reading his Bible and studying a daily routine, and his top item on his bucket list was to visit Israel and walk where Jesus walked. He never got to make that trip, but he is now walking with Jesus Himself, waiting for his remaining family members in Heaven.

Nathan is survived by his faithful wife, Beth and their three children, Heather (and Carl) Rider, Adam (and Kim) Hunter, and Aaron (and Liz) Hunter, nine grandchildren, including Carl Rider III, Madylin Rider, Aiden Hunter, Aaliyah Hunter, Anthony Hunter, Haley Hunter, Hank Hunter, Paola Rosales, and Stephanie Rosales, along with his sister Teresa Mayo and many nephews and nieces.

A visitation for Nathan will be held Wednesday, September 20, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Acheson & Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary, 7944 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA 92504. A graveside service will occur Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 10:45 AM to 11:15 AM at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA 92518. A memorial service will occur Thursday, September 21, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Landmark Missionary Baptist Church, 6281 Morton Avenue, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.AchesonandGraham.com for the Hunter family.