Dr. Bobby Raymond Hunter

Dr. Bobby Hunter of Norman, Okla. died on November 6, 2020 after a brief illness. Funeral services will be under the direction of Primrose Funeral Home, and internment will be held at Sunset Memorial Park. Dr. Ed Sasnett, pastor of Northeast Baptist Church, where Bob was an active member, will conduct the services.

Bob (just plain Bob) as he preferred to be called, was born in Hollis, Okla. on August 22, 1931. He lived in and around the Sandy Community north of Hollis and attended Dodson school in Texas, and Westview and Arnett schools in Okla. One of his favorite early recollections was that he attended Sandy Baptist Church, where he was saved and baptized in a horse tank on a neighbor’s farm north of Sandy (he forgot the name of the neighbor). His family later moved to Booker, Texas and shortly after Bob entered the U.S. Air Force, where he “did some neat stuff and some stuff the was not so neat”.

After being discharged from the USAF, he entered the Great University of OSU at Stillwater, Okla. where he almost became a professional student because he liked school so well. After finally finishing his four college degrees, which are just tools, he embarked on some “really neat” work in the management, environmental and technical fields. He had the opportunity to teach math and physics but also helped developed technical schools in the U.S. and Thailand. In Thailand, he assisted in developing 15 technical schools plus a teacher’s college. After returning from Thailand, he taught at Rose State College and the University of Oklahoma. He finished his career as a Senior Technical Specialist at the U.S. Postal Technical Center in Norman, Okla. developing, writing and teaching environmental comfort systems.

There have been books that he has written plus other accomplishments in his life, but he asks that you remember what was important to him. He was often heard commenting that a boy from the sand hills of Harmon County could not have done all the things he has done if it were not for the Grace of God. He often said, “I have come a long way from the cotton patch.” While his accomplishments were important to him, nothing was more important than serving through the church and community and his gift of charitable affairs. He knew that anyone could learn the “technical stuff” but serving the needs of people is truly God’s gift and that is what was important to him.

His desire to spread God’s word was his biggest reason for being a longtime member and past president of the central chapter of The Gideons International, an evangelical Christian association that focuses on distributing Bibles worldwide to lodging rooms, hospitals and other medical offices, schools and colleges, military bases, as well as jails and prisons. He found such joy in being a part of this group.

Bob is survived by his children, Regina Wilcox of Tulsa, Diane Gentges and husband Alan of Bartlesville, and Bruce Hunter and wife Rita of Livingston, Calif.; his grandchildren Elizabeth Tepen and husband Stephen of Columbia, Illinois, Jeremy Wilcox of Oklahoma City, Jordan Gentges and wife Lydia of Bartlesville and Rachael Gentges of Tulsa; and four great-grandchildren. Other survivors include Mike Livengood and wife Judy of Plano, Texas, Debra Hardy and husband Rick of Austin, Texas and Michelle Livengood of Columbia, Maryland; many other relatives and stepfamily members who were a crucial part of his family.

Bob was preceded in death by his wife Mary Sue Hunter, his father and mother Roy and Lola Hunter, three sisters, Dorothy and Edith Hunter and Sue Rock; two brothers, Roy D. and Gene Hunter, a stepson Johnny Livengood, Memphis Hunter and Marta Stanley.

Pallbearers are Bob Gleason, Jimmy Vasquez, Jim Gann, Jim Garling, Matthew Hofeld and Danny Miller. Honorary pallbearers are Cleo Templin, Bill Cook, Marvin Sasnett, Northeast Baptist Church youth members and Norman Gideon Camp members.

In lieu of flowers, Bob’s wish is that you honor him by giving to the Northeast Baptist Church or Gideons International.