Clay Hunter Jr.

Clay Ewing Hunter Jr., 88, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, Nov. 22, 2007, at his home.

He was born Sept. 4, 1919, in Richmond, Va., the son of Clay Ewing and Elizabeth (Bell) Hunter Sr. He and Marjorie Imogene "Jean" Ireland were married on July 11, 1942, in St. Louis.

He graduated from Jefferson City High School in 1938 and attended Moberly Junior College and Central Missouri State Teachers College.

Mr. Hunter worked as an electrician on defense plants during World War II, including the TNT plant at Weldon Springs, Mo., and the atomic bomb plant at Knoxville, Tenn.

He retired as the safety director of AmerenUE, formerly the Missouri Utilities Co., after 33 years of service.

He was a 50-year member of Harold O. Grauel Masonic Lodge No. 672. He served as Master of Illmo Lodge No. 581 seven times and was a member of the Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club since 1972.

Mr. Hunter was a member of the Cape Girardeau Bowling Hall of Fame. He was an avid golfer and a member of the SEMO Seniors Golf Association, where he served as a board member. He was also a member of the Southeast Missouri Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was a member of Cape Bible Chapel.

Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Imogene "Jean" Ireland Hunter of Cape Girardeau; a son, Clay Ewing Hunter III and his wife, Carole, of Anthem, Ariz.; a daughter, Jacqueline Sue Archambault and her husband, Thomas, of Creve Coeur, Mo.; two sisters, Elizabeth Hawkins and her husband, Robert, of Jefferson City, Mo., and Jane Gentry and her husband, Claude, of Springfield, Va.; a brother, Robert N. Hunter and his wife, Sue, of Jefferson City, Mo.; a grandchild; three stepgrandchildren; four great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Frances Basinger and grandson Craig Aaron Hunter.

The family would like to thank Southeast Hospice and Comfort Keepers for the many hours of caring.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home. A Masonic service will be held at 7 p.m.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Dan Greene officiating. Entombment will be at Cape County Memorial Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau.

Memorials may be made to American Cancer Society or Southeast Hospice.