Monta Lee Hunter

Monta L. Hunter, a longtime resident of Tyler for the past 2.5 years, passed away leaving behind a legacy of professional excellence, dedication to family, and a lifelong passion for horses and agriculture.

Monta previously lived in Oakdale, California; Chatsworth, California; and Simi Valley, California, places that shaped many chapters of her full and accomplished life.

She retired in 1984 as the highest-ranking female at Rocketdyne International, concluding a remarkable 25-year career. Beginning as a bookkeeper, Monta rose through the ranks while contributing to groundbreaking aerospace projects, including the B-1 Bomber and the Space Shuttle Main Engines-work that helped define the future of aviation and space exploration.

Beyond her professional achievements, Monta was deeply involved in the Arabian horse community. She was a member of the Mid Valley Saddle Club in Central Valley, California, and operated Hunter's Arabians in Oakdale, California from 1984 to 2017. Her passions included Arabian horse breeding, endurance trail riding, show and trail riding instruction, rose cultivation, and fruit and walnut growing.

Monta was preceded in death by her younger brother, Ollie, who passed away at the age of three, and her younger sister, Taree, who passed away at 49. She was also preceded in death by her husband, and she was widowed later in life.

She is survived by her two sons, Kevin (63) and Sean (57); ten grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Monta was the last surviving sibling in her family, having had one brother and one sister, both of whom preceded her in death.