James Gordon Hunter, Jr.

Jim is predeceased by his mother, Helen Dady Hunter, and his father, James Gordon Hunter.

Jim is survived by his loving wife, Laureen Boulden Hunter, after 34 years of friendship & marriage. They were married on Jupiter Island on September 17, 1993.

Jim is lovingly remembered by his daughter, Shellie Hunter Bebble, son-in-law Paul Bebble and grandson Hunter Bebble of Jupiter, Florida, his son, Kavin Hunter of Antigo, Wisconsin and granddaughter Kylie Hunter of St. Louis, Missouri, his brother Bill Hunter and wife Janet of Richardson, Texas and niece Janice Hunter and her son Soren Reitsma of Birmingham, Alabama, his brother Chris Hunter and wife Michelle and niece Colleen Hunter of St. Louis, Missouri, his former wife Bonnie Kavinsky Hunter, stepdaughter Winter Williams and stepson Jonathan Boulden, numerous cousins and their families, and life-long friends including Princeton classmates and fellow Cannon Club members.

Jim was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on March 15, 1940 and grew up in Homewood, Illinois. He graduated from Bloom Township High School in Chicago Heights, Illinois in 1958 and received his degree in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1962. He worked for a number of years with Proctor & Gamble as Sales Manager of marketing and sales of industrial chemicals and then later on as Sales Manager for the Sealed Air Corporation home office in New Jersey. He then moved back to the Midwest, settling in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area where he, as a Mechanical Engineer in HVAC, ran Hunter Heating & Air Conditioning for 17 years providing commercial design/build contracting services throughout southeastern Wisconsin. After selling this business and moving to South Florida, he relocated to Palo Alto, California for 3 years, sailed the Caribbean islands for 13 months (fulfilling a life’s dream), and then returned to south Florida and worked for Rybovich Spencer as their sailboat sales specialist for 10 years before he retired.

Throughout his teens and college years Jim excelled in sports, playing basketball, football and baseball in both high school and at Princeton University, where he lettered in sports 9 times. In addition to his family, Jim’s greatest loves were his dogs, boating (both power and sail), and music of all kinds. As an early member of the Palm Beach Sailing Club and later a member of the Castaways Club, Jim greatly enjoyed the camaraderie shared with sailing friends over the years and contributed his musical talents to the many parties and celebrations for both clubs.

First playing ukulele and singing as a young boy, Jim added guitar as a freshman at Princeton. In 1959 he formed Princeton’s first rock-and-roll band, “The Omegas” and later named “Ivory Jim Hunter and the Headhunters”. An accomplished singer and musician, Jim was known for his “golden” tenor voice as he continued singing and playing with his band over the years for numerous reunions and P-rades. He later formed “Ivory Jim & Company”, a 3-person party band based in West Palm Beach and entertaining for numerous wedding receptions, birthday parties and other celebrations.

A private family gathering was held at the Pelican Club in Jupiter, Florida on May 5th to honor Jim’s life. A celebration of life party will be held for friends and family at a later date to be announced.

Memorial donations may be made to The Mind, Music & Movement Foundation, P.O. Box 7128, Jupiter, FL 33468, The Winning Round Foundation, Inc., 6907 Briarlake Circle, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418, or Hospice of Palm Beach County/Trustbridge, 5200 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL. 33407.

Jim's family enjoys hearing the many stories and memories of him. Please share yours on this web site.