Ms. Hattie Mae Hunt

On September 19, 2015 Hattie Mae Hunt heeded the call of her Heavenly Father, took her last breath in the comfort of her own home, and returned to His loving arms. She was born January 22, 1925 in Somerville, Fayette County, Tennessee to James and Etta Mae (Moore) Hunt. She was the ninth (and last surviving sibling) of eleven children. She professed faith in Christ as a child and was baptized at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. She received her formal education from Mount Olive Elementary school (a single classroom for all grades) in Somerville; and graduated from Fayette County High School in May of 1947 Hattie moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin after graduation as part of the great black migration to the north in search of employment. Unfortunately for Hattie she was unable to secure employment in the manufacturing industry due to her small physique (as there were height and weight limitations for individuals to work the production lines). As a result of this shortcoming, she worked various jobs, including Jane Lee's dress shop until she secured employment with the Milwaukee Public School system as a general aide. Based upon her love of education, this was a perfect fit and she remained employed at Siefert elementary school for 21 years until she retired in 1990. Hattie had been a good and faithful servant and member of Christ Presbyterian Church since arriving in Milwaukee. She served God in multiple roles including church treasurer and manager of the food pantry outreach ministry. ln retirement one of her "fun" church activities was attending the monthly "nifty seniors" group meetings where her peers met to talk about their love of Jesus, church activities, and their individual lives in addition to enjoying a meal together. Hattie was an avid quilter, and had gifted hand-made guilts to each of her children and grandchildren. Quilting was one of the ways she stayed connected to friends and family members who had also moved north. They would get together at each other's homes and piece quilts using quilting horses while catching up on each other's lives as well as what was going on "down home". She embraced sewing and designed clothing for herself and her children from free-style patterns which she created. Hattie loved to garden and took great pride in canning and freezing foods fresh from the earth. In her senior years, her focus shifted to "supervising" others as her hobbies and pastimes have now become the hobbies and pastimes of her children. Hattie loved her family dearly and everyone was always welcomed in her home. She stayed connected to her siblings and traveled yearly to Somerville (with her children in tow) to attend the local annual picnic sponsored by benevolent society #14 which is estimated to have lasted 100 years until its demise. Hattie also looked forward to attending the bi- annual Hunt-Taylor family reunions. One of the many great joys of her life was the election of the first African-American President of the United States of America, Barack Obama. A product of the segregated south, she never thought in her wildest dreams that she would live long enough to actually see a person of color in the oval office, let alone be provided the privilege to vote for him not once, but twice! In her go years on this earth, she witnessed firsthand many of the events now read in history books. Hattie was preceded in death by her parents, James and Etta Hunt; six sisters, Virginia Hunt Towles, Lottie Bell Hunt, Mozella Hunt Shaw, Henrietta Hunt Holt, Cornelia Hunt Matthews, and Latisha Hunt; and four brothers, John Booker Hunt, James Earl Hunt, Daniel Lee Hunt, and Adam Lee Hunt. Hattie leaves four generations to love and cherish her memories, her daughters, Rosie Mae Hunt (Madison, WI), Carolyn B Hunt and Margaret E Hunt (Milwaukee, WI); six grandchildren; twelve great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; sister-in-law Vester Hunt; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Ms. Hattie Mae Hunt

January 22, 1925 - September 19, 2015