Ona Mae Hunt

Ona Mae Hunt, age 90, of Garnett Kansas, passed away peacefully on Monday March 30, 2020, at Pioneer Ridge Nursing Home in Lawrence, Kansas.

She was born on May 5, 1929, in Liberty, Kansas, the daughter of Dr. Reinhard Rorig M.D. originally of Bad Wildugen, Germany and Elizabeth Josephine Stemmer of Liberty, Kansas.

She graduated from high school and attended Cosmetologist College after which she worked as a cosmetologist for 10 years in Liberty Kansas. She then moved to Kansas City, MO where she worked for the Business Mens Assurance Company.

On March 25, 1957 she married Ulys Howard (Red) Hunt in Fort Scott, Kansas. The union was blessed with one son, Jon Howard Hunt. The family made their home in the country outside of Garnett in Harris, Kansas. She helped designed and build two unique family homes there of which she was very proud. She enjoyed farming, travel abroad, quilting, history and raising chihuahuas.

Ona Mae enjoyed participating in many civic activities. She was elected as County Commissioner of Anderson County in 1980 and served a four year term. She served as city clerk and treasure for Harris, Kansas her home for many years. She was a Reader township trustee for 20 years. She served for many years on the Home Extension Council at KSU. She was a Board Council Member of several Extension Service Boards including: Natural Resource Conservation Service from 2000-2010; the Kansas Forest Service, Marais des Cygnes Division, from 2003-2012; the U.S.D.A. Wetlands Reserve Program from 2005-2012. She was a Board Council member of Lake Region Recreation Conservation and Development Inc from 1986-2010. She also served on the exploratory committee that helped develop the plan for what became East Kansas Agri Energy and was glad to see its development and impact to the local community.

Of all her activities her favorite was her work supporting the local Historical Society and Museum. She along with her husband were charter members of the Anderson County Historical Society formed in 1968. She enjoyed being active in the historical society and spent countless hours working at the museum. A great believer in the importance of ones’ family history and that of the region and state, she was eager to build and organize the records and artifacts in the museum as well the various facilities the museum was located in over the years. She was particularly proud of the restoration work she participated in as the Historical Society restored the Harris House in Garnett that had been donated by the Harris family. She was director of the museum for 18 years and then treasurer for 18 years and president for six years. She served on the Board of Directors of the Historical Society for 10 years.

She was a member of the Methodist church for many years where she taught Sunday School and in later years attended The Christian Church in Garnett, Kansas.

Ona Mae was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Ulys (Red) Hunt.

She is survived by her son Jon Howard Hunt, her daughter-in-law Nancy (Hickam) Hunt, two grandchildren Claire M. Hunt and Matthew L. H. Hunt all of Lawrence, Kansas. She is also survived by her niece by marriage, Jeanne Miller and her three children of Mission, Kansas.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, August 28, 2020, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett, Kansas. The family request instead of flowers that memorials be given to the Anderson County Historical Society. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com



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