William R. Hunter, 85

William R. Hunter, a longtime Austin resident, died Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, at his daughter’s home in Omaha, Neb., where he had resided for the past year and a half.

Bill was born Dec. 31, 1926, in Santa Ana, Calif., the son of Harold Howard and Olive Margaret (Brady) Hunter. He graduated from Omaha North High School and Midland University with a bachelor of science degree in business. He served in the U.S. Army, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant during 15 months in the Pacific area with the U.S. Army’s Anti-Aircraft Artillery. Bill married Carol Elaine Kentopp on May 22, 1949, in Falls City, Neb.

Bill worked 42 years for the George A. Hormel Company and retired as Executive V.P. of Hormel Foods. He was a member of the company’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He was also Chairman of the Board and CEO of Farm Fresh Catfish, Co. a subsidiary of Hormel. He also served as General Manager of the Austin and Fremont plants. Upon retirement, Bill served on the Hormel Foundation and was appointed Chair of the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission by Governor Arne Carlson.

Bill was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church, the Rotary Club, United Way Chairman, Austin Country Club and the Elks Club, all of Austin. While living in Nebraska, Bill served as President of the Salem Lutheran Church, Director of the Fremont National Bank, a member of Rotary Club and a member of the Boards of the YMCA, Nebraska Pollution Control Council, Nebraska Association of Commerce and Industry and the Nebraska Tax and Research Council.

Bill was a Big Eight Conference Football Official for six years. In 1970, he was named Honorary Admiral in the Nebraska Navy. In 1977, Bill received the Midland University Outstanding Alumni Award and in 1987 was named to the Hall of Fame for Omaha North High School. That year he was also named Chairman of the American Meat Institute Meat Inspection Committee and in 1989 he was named to the Midland Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mr. Hunter is survived by daughters and sons-in-law, Jan and Steve Moore, Omaha, Neb., Elizabeth and John Ashley, Danville, Calif.; grandchildren, William Moore, Austin, Caroline Moore, Washington, D.C., Jack O’Neil, Danville Calif., Noah Ashley, Danville, Calif.; sister-in-law, Marilyn Kentopp, Falls City, Neb.; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Richard and Anita Kentopp, Fremont, Neb.; sister-in-law, Loretta Kentopp, Falls City, Neb.; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Carol, infant son John, his parents, a brother and sister-in-law Harold and Anita Hunter and sister Patricia Hunter.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church, Austin with the Reverend Kristi Koppel officiating. A graveside service will be at the Steele Cemetery at Falls City, Neb., at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Feb. 22. Friends may call at the Clasen-Jordan Mortuary from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday and at the church for one hour before the service on Tuesday morning. The family prefers memorials to St. Olaf Lutheran Church or to the William R. and Carol Kentopp-Hunter Scholarship at Midland University.