Russell Hunter was born June 20, 1924 in West Hartford and died peacefully on February 2, 2021 (Insurance age 97). Russell Hunter was born June 20, 1924 in West Hartford and died peacefully on February 2, 2021 (Insurance age 97).
He attended Kingswood School and graduated from Avon Old Farms and the University of Connecticut in 1947. He was captain of the 1945 UConn football team and co-captain of the 1946 track team. President of the University of Connecticut Alumni Association in 1951-2.
He volunteered and served during WWII in Company I of the 87th Regiment, 10th Mountain Division (Ski Troops).
He had a one-man real estate office in Farmington for fifty years before retiring. During the last twenty years of his working years he specialized in appraising and was a (MAI) Member of the Appraisal Institute. In 1965 he was President of the Hartford Real Estate board. He was involved in many phases of the Appraisal Institute, including President of the Connecticut Chapter, and served on the National Governing Council and for many years on their Professional Standards and International Relations Committees. For over ten years, he represented the Appraisal Institute as the Chief Delegate at meetings of the Pan Pacific Congress of Appraisers, Valuers and Counselors in the Pacific Rim. In 2001 he was appointed a Commissioner of the Connecticut Real Estate Appraisal Commission representing the Fifth Congressional District. 
In 1950-55 he was the Boy Scout leader for Troop 68 in Farmington. He was a 45-year member, past president (1958) and more recently an honorary member of the Farmington Exchange Club. In l955 he was president of the Farmington Red Cross chapter. When the Flood of 1955 occurred, he became the Disaster Chairman. For his months of work then he was awarded the first Order of Old Farms given to a non-student from Avon Old Farms, and in 1957 he was chosen as the Outstanding Young Man of the Farmington Valley by the Farmington Valley Junior Chamber of Commerce. He helped found the Farmington Foundation and for over forty years served as its secretary and chairman of the student college Loan Committee. He was a member of the Republican Town Committee for more than twenty-five years and for over forty years a member of the 20th Century (1892) Club. For many years he volunteered at the UConn Health Center.
He was an active golfer, both at The Country Club of Farmington where he was a member for 80 years and at the Great Chebeague Golf Club in Maine where he served as former President. He spent almost every summer on Chebeague Island. He and his wife traveled extensively in Europe, the Pacific, and numerous trips to Bermuda.
Predeceased by his wife of 67 years, Catharina J. A. Hunter, he is survived by three children, R. Bruce Hunter (wife Catherine Hunter) of Farmington CT, David D. Hunter (wife Tanja) of Forest Grove, OR, and Johanna M. Hunter (husband David Potter) of Concord, MA, eight grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a brother J. Samuel Hunter of Woodstock Valley, CT and a sister Polly Ann Memhard of Ridgefield, CT. He was predeceased by a brother David and a sister Peggy.
Russ and Cathy were known to travel across the state of CT seeking out their favorite lunch spots. In the past three years, many of his family and friends were happy to accompany Russ to those special restaurants. Russ was a skilled storyteller, a true “gentleman”, a big UConn Men’s and Women’s basketball fan, and loved gathering the extended Hunter family together at Thanksgiving. Russ so appreciated how blessed he was with his many family and friends where he could share his experiences and memories right up to his last day. He self-published 2 books “It Just Happened Again, Dear” and “Wow – 90 Years Went By Fast” offering small vignettes of a life well lived.
The family pictures him now sitting on his porch on Chebeague Island watching the view go by with Cathy by his side. Due to the current ‘Covid’ pandemic, a celebration of his life will be held in June 2022 at the Country Club of Farmington for friends and family to share their stories of Russ.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Recompense Fund a charity (address: P.O. Box 42, Chebeague Island, ME 04017) which supports local non-profit organizations on Chebeague Island.
 View from Russ's porch - Click here (I will have it uploaded properly soon) to see part of an interview the Historical Society did with Russ July 22, 2019 on his island porch for the House Tour. |
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 Russ with sister Polly and brother Sam |
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 1998 with lots of smiles |
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  Blueberry picking with Marissa and baking a pie |
 Catherina, Tanja, David and Russ |
 Celebrating his 95th birthday with Bev Johnson and Rich Crapser |
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Russ's 60th birthday party