Beverly Carolyn Hunter

Beverly Carolyn Hunter passed away on November 4, 2022, at Carillon House in Lubbock following a steady decline over the last few months. Per her wishes, no formal funeral is planned. She will be buried along with her husband’s ashes, beside her beloved mother, Sybil Bourland in Resthaven Memorial Park.

Beverly was born January 29th, 1933, in Quail, Collingsworth County, Texas to Ralph McElroy and Sybil Elizabeth (Johnson) Bourland. She was a sickly child. Doctors told her mother that she would probably not live to adulthood due to her kidney problems. We often laughed about that prognosis as she passed 80.

She was very proud of the ranching heritage of the Bourland family whose home place was located near Quail. Her maternal grandparents, Carrie and David Johnson, lived in Clarendon, TX, another place that was always close to Beverly’s heart. She often commented that Quail was a good place to be during the Great Depression and World War II. There was enough to eat and freedom to roam with the other kids. In 1946, the family moved, house and all, to Lubbock. Everyone in the family has heard the story of moving the house through the canyon with her dad’s accompaniment. Beverly and the remainder of the family unit Sybil, sister Rosemary and Beverly were driven to Lubbock by 14-year-old brother Hardy.

Beverly graduated from Lubbock High School in 1950. Although she was already enrolled in Texas Tech, she opted to marry William James “Jimmy” Hunter on February 10, 1951. Motherhood and being a wife were what she wanted. Jimmy was drafted into the army shortly after their marriage. He was sent to the conflict in Korea where he sustained life threatening injuries in July 1952. Beverly became his lifelong caregiver after he was released from a year long hospitalization at “Fort Sam” in San Antonio, TX. He returned to his previous employment at Baldridge Bakery. The couple settled into domestic life with the birth of two daughters, Judy Suzanne in 1954 and Patricia Jan in 1955. In the 1960’s a son William Ray was added to the family.

Beverly was known for her lifelong love of babies and children. If there was a baby in the room, she was holding it. Children often gathered at her house because she was there sharing toys, refreshments, and loving attention. Her kids had a vast menagerie of pets due to her tolerance and her own fondest for all creatures. Over the years, her daughters’ Barbie dolls morphed into a vast collection of vintage dolls and toys which were shared with the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She chose the name GiGi when she became great grandmother. Included in her favorite things were flowers, old movie drinking Dr. Pepper and songs from the 1940’s and 1950’s, of which she had an encyclopedic recall. Beverly was a huge fan of Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. Beverly would be proud to be remembered as a kind and loving person. The word love appears often in this because she was the embodiment of it.

Left to cherish her memory are daughter Judy Henderson (Larry Craig), son Bill Hunter, honorary daughter Christine Kane (Stan); grandsons Hunter Henderson (Tiffany), Evan Henderson (Bennett), Austin Hunter, Braxton Craig, and Carson Craig; granddaughters Valari Kelly (Justin), Brittany Holder (Benji), Monica Bloom (Rich) and Ashley Styles (Nathan); great-grandchildren Mikyla, Hayden, Jude, Gabriel, Boyd, Hardy, Harper, Piper, Madison, Emma, Ryan, Beckett, and Coleman. Brother Hardy Bourland (Lorraine) of Granbury; devoted sister, Rosemary English of Lubbock; brother-in-law Richard Hunter (Judy) of Keller, plus many nieces and nephews. Beverly was predeceased by her husband Jim, and daughter Jan.

Special thanks to the staff at Carillon House who cared for her in the final days. Honorary donations may be made to the American Kidney Fund or to a favorite charity.