Billy Dean Hunt

Billy Dean Hunt was born May 6, 1957, in Manchester, IA. At the time his parents, Marie Wilhelmina Baumgartner and Merwin Charles Hunt, farmed near Earlville. In first grade they moved to a farm near Strawberry Point. Bill graduated from Starmont High School in 1975 and was confirmed at St. Sebald Church. He worked with his brother Larry in painting, then worked at Henderson Manufacturing in Manchester. He then worked at the Chicago Northwestern railroad for two and a half years. Bill started farming in 1978 when his dad wanted to retire. On March 24, 1979, Bill married Barbara Allison. They farmed west of Strawberry Point, and east of Strawberry Point. When living east of Strawberry Point while milking cows, he helped Ervin Tucker build three different barns in his spare time.

Bill and Barbara had their children Kristy, Jessica and Nicholas. Bill quit farming on February 11, 1984. He worked for area farmers, and at the Hartman quarry for eleven years. Bill and Barbara divorced in 1997. He went to work for Story Construction, where he helped build the Performing Arts Center at UNI, and at Fagin Inc. doing rebar and steel work. In 2000, he started working at Asplundh Tree and then Elite Tree in 2004. After retiring from Elite Tree, Bill returned to his true passion working part time for Soules Family Farms. Bill bought his farm from Jon Mitchell in 2007, and a second farm in 2019.

He enjoyed many hobbies; playing with the grandkids, looking for arrowheads, looking for agates, collecting old coins and new quarters, restoring a Camaro of his own, and later his son's Camaro, drag racing, raising chickens and ducks, collecting toys, turtles, planting trees, collecting nuts to plant and watching them grow. Bill, alongside his kids and grandkids, planted thousands of trees on the farm. He enjoyed real farm living, raising baby animals, hearing the roosters crowing, getting cows from pasture, doing field work fighting thistles in the pasture and fighting gophers ruining the hayfield. Bill was also a longtime Sunday school teacher and Council Member at St. Sebald Church, and a board member of Berry Tender Child Care in Strawberry Point. Bill's children and grandchildren were the cornerstone of his foundation, his support and inspiration in every aspect of his life.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Merwin (5/3/98) and Marie (10/12/96); his son, Nicholas Hunt (04/15/2021); his brother, Larry Wayne (12/28/2015); his brothers-in-law: Mike Moellers (12/15/2024) and Dennis Bush (12/16/2020); his nieces, Mechel Lee Hunt (10/30/71) and Lisa Marie Hunt (8/11/90); his nephew, Chris Davis Jr. (2/18/89); He is survived by his two daughters, Kristy (Trent) Davidson and Jessica (Keith) Haynes; nine grandchildren: Madison (Isiah) Schomrock, Bryce (Andrea) Welcher, William (Madeline), Steven (Korina), and Emily Haynes, Ashton (Logan), Noah, Kaylee, and Aleah Hunt; five great-grandchildren: Luka, Alayah, Asher Welcher, Kinsley Schomrock and Cash Haynes; three sisters: Linda Moellers, Deb (Jeff) Hughes, and Judy (Brian) Cassman; and eight nieces & nephews.

Bill passed away at home on December 17, 2025, with his two daughters at his side. Services will be held on May 2, 2026.