Hunter, Clarence F. 'Bud'

Clarence F. “Bud” Hunter passed suddenly into the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, March 16, 2012, in Lake Placid, Fla., where he and his wife spent their winters. A celebration of life service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 23, at Faith Bible Church, 95 S. Mentzer Rd., Robins. Pastor Aaron Telecky of Maranatha Bible Church will conduct the services. Inurnment with military rites at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Bud was born Oct. 6, 1931, in Kansas City, Mo., to Clarence D. and Fern Keck Hunter. He graduated from Southwest High School in Kansas City, Mo., in 1947. He attended the University of Iowa where he participated in football as a freshman and in R.O.T.C. He was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity. He served his country in the United States Army as the 1st Lieutenant Infantry during the Korean conflict.

Bud was a member of the Cedar Rapids Board of Realtors for 50 years. He served as president of the Board in 1969. Bud was employed by Hedges Realtors before starting his own company, Heritage Realtors with three other partners. For the past 20 plus years, Bud had been self-employed as a Real Estate appraiser.

Bud had many interests outside his profession. He was an active member of Maranatha Bible Church where he served several terms as deacon and attended Moody Bible Institute's pastor's conference several years running. He and his wife enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and Canada. Bud was a consummate outdoorsman and conservationist and was a founding member of Eastern Iowa Ducks Unlimited serving as their first president and was the driving force in starting the Green Wing program for young hunters. Bud served the Cedar Valley Humane Society as president and was a 32nd degree Mason in Mount Hermon Lodge #263. Bud loved to fish in Canada, making annual trips with his wife and other couples or with groups of men. Bud and his wife owned a cabin at Lake Odessa until recently where he entertained many friends and business associates, taking them hunting in his duck blind. Bud hunted ducks and geese from Saskatchewan to Arkansas along the Mississippi flyway. Bud won the Iowa Duck Calling Contest in 1968 and participated in the World Duck Calling Contest in Stuttgart, Ark., the following year. Perhaps his favorite bird to hunt was the wild turkey. He was very successful, bagging his limit nearly every year.

While in Florida this winter, he was privileged to hunt turkeys with an old time Florida turkey hunter and though they didn't take one they called up many, enjoying the strutting and bellowing of the Tom. His wife, Helen, wrote two books using Bud's hunting prowess as the basis for the stories “Duck Hunting with Grandpa” and “Turkey Hunting with Grandpa.” For the past 12 years they had participated in a field trip at Lake Odessa with the third grade students at Wapello Elementary School, all of whom have read “Duck Hunting with Grandpa.” Golf, now there is another pastime that Bud enjoyed. He was a great golf partner to his wife, sons and others. Bud was a friend of Bill W. as well as many other people, a genuine gentleman. He will be missed by his family and friends.

Bud married Sandra Studer in the 1950s. They later divorced.

Bud is survived by his best friend and wife of 31 years, Helen; and sons, Kevin (Suzanne) and John; a daughter, Jennifer; stepchildren, Stephen White (Jane) and Sara White Miller; and his sister, Diane Tait.

Also surviving are five grandchildren, Sam and Megan Hunter, Jacob, Joshua and Laura Miller.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

The family would like to express their sincerest gratitude to Edward Smoak and Jon Andersen of Lake Placid, Fla., for driving the Hunter's vehicles home from Florida.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Bud's honor to Maranatha Bible Church.

Please leave a message, tribute or memory on the online guest book at , under obituaries.

Published in The Gazette March 20, 2012.