James "Jim" Hunter

Obituary

James “Jim” Robert Hunter, was called home on August 22, 2024, after some recent health complications, he was 73 years old. He had an extraordinary life and will be greatly missed and forever remembered.

Whether known as Jim, Dad, Grandpa Nooo, Jimmer, Catfish, Fish, Boss, Mr. Jim, "Drone" or fondly Jimmy to his “Momma”, he had loving family and true friends all over the world.

Born to Sergeant Major “Robert O.” and Jiana Hunter in Colorado, a self-proclaimed “army brat” he grew up with his loving parents and three big sisters mainly in Hawaii and California. His love of the ocean began as a youngster growing up in these beautiful places.

Starting in primary school he participated in swimming, baseball, and basketball. As a teenager in Monterey, he found his fondness for surfing. Ever athletic, he continued his affection for sport throughout his adult years by playing golf, joining a softball league with his best buds, and even refereeing high school basketball, just like his Dad had done. He enjoyed swimming and snorkeling in the ocean, river rafting, fishing, walks along the beaches and trails, he was always on the move.

Although his late teen years were tough at times, that all changed when he discovered a passion for serving people in the hospitality industry and got on a good path with the Lord.

As he would tell it, he began as a “bus boy and worked his way up”, climbing his career ladder, working in many departments, including Conferences and Catering, Food and Beverage, and eventually becoming General Manager of multiple famous hotels and resorts. His goal always was to put the customer first and make thousands of guests’ dreams come true.

His young life and vast 55-year career in the hospitality industry took him to many beautiful places, including Hawaii, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Idaho, Montana, Maine, the Bahamas, St Croix, the British Virgin Islands, and Curaçao. Even after retiring in Mendocino, he continued to serve people by heading up a weekly homeless meals program with his church family and working with the elderly at Senior Helpers.

Throughout his career, he gathered great stories and even served some very famous faces along the way. Including Ronald Reagan, Robert Stack, and Bill Cosby at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush, and Mikhail Gorbachev at the Fairmont in San Francisco. Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan at Atlantis in the Bahamas. Channing Tatum, Justin Long, and the entire cast of the movie 10 Years at Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque. He even served Tina Fey lunch in Maine, he didn’t know who she was at the time but treated her as he did all his guests, friendly and pleasantly.

At Sunset Waters in Curaçao each week he’d kick off karaoke night by belting out the theme to Gilligan’s Island to get his guests in a singing mood, showing off his goofy and silly side. But his professionalism always shone through whether he hosted a single vacationer or huge groups or conventions of 100s, remembering details, and personalizing each guest’s experience.

In addition to being a lover of travel and fine food, he was a great cook, with his F&B background he could pretty much “whoop” up anything in the kitchen. All his life he enjoyed watching any and all sports, he had such a respect for athleticism and would get his daily dose of SportsCenter each evening. He had a remarkable talent for sports trivia, including athlete's stats, going all the way back to their high school and college years. He enjoyed the Bourne Identity film series and reading mystery novels. He loved perusing the newspaper and doing the San Francisco Chronicle crossword puzzle was a highlight of his day. He dreamt that a “Good News” newspaper or newscast existed, his big compassionate heart wishing only uplifting stories to brighten life’s hard days. He loved all sorts of music and would often bop around the house singing along to Bob Marley and other tunes. At his wedding, he even had all do a sing-along to “Three Little Birds”.

Jim leaves behind his “honey”, wife Laurel. His loving protective big sisters June Ann, Kathleen, and Jeannie Lou, who all helped him through so much throughout his life. And best Brother-in-law Jon (Kathleen). He was so very proud of his precious daughters Starr (“Starry”) and April (“Mouse”) and their husbands “Baker” (Starr) and “Ricky” (April), who he genuinely considered his sons. A few years ago, he connected with his eldest bonus daughter Raina, whom he adored. He treasured Starr’s boys, his beloved grandsons, Oryon and Indygo. He was a fantastic “Uncle Jim” to his darling niece “Sunny” and dear nephews “Bobby” and, spittin’ image, James, and their wonderful families. Always a gravitational magnet for the kiddos, you’d often find a young one riding around on his shoulders or being tossed up in the air and caught just in the nick of time. He was famous for crawling around on all fours, with a handful of kids on his back getting pony rides, he was a true “jungle Jim” to all the little ones.

He cherished his extended family and remained close with his “Aunt” Shirley and all his loving cousins and their families. He valued his little community in “Mendo”, and was so fond of Melissa and “Mikey”, his other neighbors, and many fine folks around town, always making friends wherever he went. He felt blessed to be a Deacon at Mendocino Presbyterian Church, headed up by Pastor Matt.

He loved animals and throughout his life he was a doggy Daddy to many K9 companions. We know he is reunited at the Rainbow Bridge with Martha, Fritz, Henry, Sasha, and Beauty, just to name a few.

He truly loved and adored the special people in his life and always worked hard to protect and provide for them. He had an adventurous, passionate spirit and an impeccable work ethic, instilling in all who knew him to do the best job you possibly can, love your loved ones, and take time to have a little fun and enjoy the good things in life.

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