Virginia B. Hunter

Virginia Blake Hunter was born Frances Virginia Lee Blake on March 16, 1932, to Virgil D. Blake, Sr., and Aivonia Force Blake in Gainesville, Georgia. She was reared in a Baptist home with two sisters and three brothers. Virginia came to know the Lord at a young age.

Following her graduation from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, where she met her husband, the Reverend Carl Frederick Hunter, Sr., Virginia pursued a career in education. Her first teaching assignment was at the Georgia School for the Deaf in Cave Springs. As a skilled educator, Virginia held teaching certifications in the states of Georgia, New York and New Jersey. In July 1996, Virginia retired from a successful teaching career that spanned more than 40 years. After her retirement, she taught part-time as a substitute teacher at the Oak Street School in Lakewood, the elementary school where she had served for many years.  

As a pastor’s wife, Virginia did not stand in her husband’s shadow. Rather, she distinguished herself by lending her time and talent on the local, district, conference and connectional levels of the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. For eight years, Virginia was honored to serve on an international level as a representative for the First Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church to the United Nations in a non-governmental capacity.

Virginia believed strongly in being an independent woman. She will always be remembered for the philosophy she shared with other women, most especially pastors' wives: Pursue a career and make your own mark in the world. Virginia raised two children and supported her husband in ministry while cultivating her teaching career. She was blessed to have traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad. Among the many places she visited were North Africa, South Africa, Portugal and Spain.

In 1996, following her husband’s election as a General Officer of the A.M.E. Church, Virginia became a devoted member of Saint James A.M.E. Church, Newark. She remained at Saint James until she became an affiliated member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Asbury Park, in 2011.   

Virginia was predeceased by her husband of 61 years, the Reverend Carl Frederick Hunter, Sr.; her parents; two sisters, Geneva Blake Samuels and A.V. Lindsey; and two brothers, Walter James and William Blake. Left to cherish her memories are her children, the Reverend Carl F. Hunter II and David H. Hunter; a “special” daughter, the Reverend Doctor Danielle L. Hunter; grandchildren, Ashley C. and Isaiah C.F. Hunter; great-granddaughter, Khloe Hunter; brother, Virgil D. Blake, Jr. (Alice); brother-in-law, John Samuels; sisters-in-law, Atheia Hunter and Rose Wright-Blake; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
 

I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living
Psalm 27:13

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