Gerry Hunter

Click to View Gerry's Celebration of Life Livestreamed

Gerry Hunter, 76, of Miller, passed away Wednesday, May 31, 2023, at Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller, surrounded by family.

Celebration of Life service will be 7:00 p.m., Monday, June 5, 2023, at the First United Methodist Church in Miller.  A visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. 

In Gerry's honor, the family request those attending to wear their Miller Rustler, Golfing, or Hunting clothes.

Gerry Reh Hunter, son of William and Janet (Watson) Hunter, was born December 2, 1946, in Huron, SD. He was the youngest of three children, having two older sisters; Tanya and Billie Joy. 

He attended grade school, middle school, and high school in DeSmet, SD and graduated in 1964. After high school, Gerry went to South Dakota State University for his freshman year of college on a track scholarship. He then finished his last three years of schooling at Huron College, also on a track scholarship, and received his teaching degree in 1968.

Gerry was married to Marilyn (Asleson) Hunter from 1965 to 2010. To this union, three children were born: Darin, Megan, and Jared (better known as Gome). 

Gerry moved to Miller in 1968 for his first teaching position. He planned to stay for only one year but after 55 years of creating his family life here, with 41 of those years spent at the Miller School District, he couldn’t get himself to leave. Miller was home. 

He taught science and drivers education, was the head coach for the boys and girls track and cross country teams, the head coach for boys basketball, and assistant coach for football. Gerry was able to take the boys basketball team to a 3rd place state finish in 1975 and a 4th place state finish in 1976. From 1973 to 1983, he served as the athletic director, all while still teaching and coaching. In 1984, he took the Junior/Senior High School principal position, retiring from that in 2009. In 1990, he was named South Dakota’s Athletic Director of the Year.  The years of 1986 and 1990, he was one of the many officiants at the South Dakota State Girls Basketball tournament. In 2002, he was South Dakota’s Middle School Principal of the year, awarded the “Friends of Athletics Award” in recognition for outstanding athletic support and service to Miller athletics, and was given an Honorary Chapter FFA degree. He assisted Miller athletics by officiating many lower level athletic contests in football, boys and girls basketball, track, cross country, and line judging in volleyball. Gerry was inducted into the Miller High School Hall of Fame in 2012. He was also a member of the United Methodist Church in Miller, where he spent his time following his faith. 

The last several of his retirement years, Gerry spent lots of his days golfing, going on fishing and hunting trips, and driving bus for Foreman Bus Sales & Services. He drove bus for school routes and to sporting events; this helped him stay connected to the school and provide a service to care for the young students and athletes in our community, just as he always loved to do. Although Gerry kept himself very busy with never missing a chance to golf, fish, or hunt; he made a point to make sure his lawn was perfectly mowed, his vehicle was clean, and he was always up for a road trip; no matter the distance. His favorite past time of all, though, was supporting his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They were his entire world. He was very active in the events his family was participating in. If he couldn’t be there in person, he was figuring out a way to stream it through his computer or TV. His support for his family was known, he was their number one fan, and nothing was ever more important to him than the love he had for his family. 

Gerry was a staple to the Miller community for many years and will always be remembered by his beaming smile and the time he always took to say hello to everyone he knew and, most of the time, even to the ones who he didn’t know. He had a chatty, full of life personality and never ended a conversation without a laugh and a hand shake; or a hug and a kiss on the forehead if you were one of his kids or grandkids. 

Gerry will be greatly missed by his children: Darin (Trinity) Hunter of Miller, Megan Fritzsche of Miller, and Gome (Comeec) Hunter of Laurel, MT; grandchildren: Kelsey (Ridge) Fuentes, Jansen (Cody) Naber, Karst and Isaak Hunter, Journey and Jolie Palmer, Owen and Oliver Fritzsche, and Paisley and Krew Hunter; great-grandchildren: Maivin, Vanna, Jovee, and Rook Naber, and Jetta Fuentes; brother-in-law, Marlin (Jeanette) Clendening of Esmond, SD; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters: Billie Joy Clendening and Tanya Peterson; and brother-in-law, Weldon Peterson.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Gerry's arrangements.