Hunt, Wanda M.

Wanda M. Hunt, 84, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Sunday, Jan. 6, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital, after a lengthy illness. She died 27 years to the day after her husband's death. Services: 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial: Hazelwood Cemetery, Grinnell, Iowa. The service will be conducted by the Rev. Margaret S. Johnson and Roger G. Stigers.

Survivors include her sons, Randall (Theresa) Hunt and Jeffrey (Christine) Hunt; and grandchildren, Eric (Colleen), Christin (Christopher), Caitlin, Austin and Ava.

She was blessed this year with her first great-granddaughter, Grace. Other extended family include Max Brown and family; sister-in-law, Isabelle Bay; Roger and Oline Stigers and family; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Wanda was born May 25, 1928, in Grinnell, Iowa, to Sherman and Irene (Christianson) Mackin. She graduated from Grinnell High School in 1946, and Grinnell College in 1950. She was involved in band and played the coronet. She returned to Grinnell Schools to start her teaching career. On June 22, 1955, she married Robert L. Hunt Jr., and they started their family in Grinnell. Robert and Wanda moved to Cedar Rapids in 1962. In addition to raising her family, Wanda returned to teaching and taught language arts at Roosevelt Junior High for 27 years. During those years, she taught several generations of students from numerous families. After her retirement from teaching, she worked for Peppertree Studio, pursuing her love of art.

Wanda was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Teachers Association and P Buckley Moss Society. Wanda was also a member of First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids. She was an avid gardener and loved to can fresh vegetables and jams. Wanda enjoyed crafts, stitchery, quilting and shopping for collectibles. She also loved attending her class reunions and travels to Canada, Door County, Wis. and Colorado.

She enjoyed all with whom she worked at Grinnell, Roosevelt and Peppertree.

All of the caregivers in Wanda's later years felt she was always happy and enjoyable to be around. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given in Wanda's name to the Cedar Rapids Community Schools Foundation, 2500 Edgewood Rd. NW, Cedar Rapids, IA 52405 to support Roosevelt Middle School.

Please sign the online guest book for Wanda at under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette Jan. 8, 2013.