John Hunsucker Sr.

John Hunsucker, Sr. NEWTON John Franklin Hunsucker, Sr., 87, of Newton, passed away on Saturday, June 04, 2011, at the Palliative Care Center & Hospice of Catawba Valley in Newton. Born Feb. 16, 1924, in Catawba County, he was the son of the late Rev. Walter Pinkney Hun-sucker, Sr. and Annie Mae Boggs Hunsucker. John was a lifelong and faithful member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Claremont, where he had served as president of the congregation and on numerous boards and committees. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in the European Theatre during World War II. John was a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University and was a former member of the Catawba County School Board. In 1985, he retired after 37 years as owner of John F. Hunsucker Insurance Agency in Newton. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Celia Elizabeth "Libby" Hun-sucker Carpenter. Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Mary Brittain Hunsucker of the home; daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ann Cooke and her husband, Chris, of Conover; son and daughter-in-law, John F. Hun-sucker, Jr. and his wife, Ellen, of Denver, NC; grandchildren, Laura Hunsucker, Eric Hun sucker, Blake Cooke, and Lindsey Cooke; Doug Thornburg, Jr., and wife, Susan; great-grand-children, Alex Thornburg and Katie Thornburg; sister, Mary Ruth Hunsucker Fulbright and her husband, Joe, of Claremont; brother, Walter Pinkney Hunsucker, Jr., of Covington, Ky.; sister-in-law, Mabel Brittain Lawing of Conover; brother-in-law, Bill Drew Brittain of Raleigh. A service of remembrance and celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 7, at Bethel Lutheran Church. The Reverends Craig Schultz and Eric Hollar will officiate and the burial will follow at Catawba Memorial Park in Hickory. The family will receive friends at the church prior to the service from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Bethel Lutheran Church, 5759 Bolick Road, Claremont, NC, 28610. Condolences may be sent to the Hunsucker family at www.drum funeralhome.com. The Hunsucker family has entrusted funeral arrangements to Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home & Crematory in Newton. NC 71001