Rita Michelle Hunter

Rita Michelle Hunter quietly entered this world on Tuesday, June 21, 1960, in San Diego, CA, the sixth of seven children by Robert and Doris Hunter. Her formative years were spent in San Diego, CA, and Las Vegas, NV. The family moved to Las Vegas during the summer of 1971 when her father accepted the position of full-time minister to the North Las Vegas Church of Christ. Even as a child Rita was a quiet spirit, and never got into trouble. 

Rita was baptized into the Church of Christ during her youth and continued her walk of faith throughout her life. When she was a teenager, Rita fell in love with the city of Seattle when the family visited the area during the summers. She vowed to make Seattle home one day.

In 1978, she graduated from Rancho High School in North Las Vegas, NV, and moved to Tempe, AZ to attend Arizona State University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Personnel Management in 1982. 

Rita spent much of her adult life working in college and university settings, primarily in student-facing roles. She was employed by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Seattle Central Community College during her early work years. She had an indomitable volunteer spirit and could be found volunteering her time and talent in various literacy programs, such as the Mothers of Preschoolers church-based program, local libraries, serving as a Teacher’s Aide in Bible Schools, and other secular school programs as a paraeducator. For a time, she also volunteered her services to the Board of Directors of the Foundation of Light, which assisted students in meeting daily financial challenges— such as paying their utility bills— so students could focus on their educational goals and not drop out of college. Rita’s longest job tenure was at Antioch University, where she worked for 27 years; the last 14 years as the Certification Officer for the School of Education.

As an environmentally conscious person, Rita chose to live her life simply and quietly, with the intention of minimizing her footprint on this planet. Notwithstanding, she did have an adventurous spirit and, from time to time, would feed that need by sojourning with nature. One of her favorite Washington retreats was Snoqualmie Falls.

Throughout her tenure at Antioch University, Rita received numerous thank-you cards and letters from students and colleagues. These mementos expressed appreciation to Rita for her selfless dedication, contribution, and caring, beyond the expectation of each individual, in support of their hopes, dreams, aspirations, or job duties. Rita carefully and neatly kept every card, letter, book, and picture you sent her.

After spending a little time in Rita’s presence, you would quickly learn, not only what an amazing resource she was, but also how bright and enjoyable she was to be around. She never pushed her presence on you but if you were inclined to lean in and listen, you realized that you had found a gem, a genuine diamond - a keeper for a lifetime, as a friend and confidante.

Rita transitioned from this life to eternal life on Thursday, October 3, 2024. She commenced terramation at Return Home in Auburn, WA on October 30, 2024. She is survived by her siblings: Barbara Glover, Cynthia Nicholas, Al (Rae) Hunter, Rick Hunter, and Lynne (Maurice) Davis. Her oldest brother, Ronald, and his wife, Velma “Bunny” Hunter pre-deceased Rita on January 3, 2013, and August 27, 2005, respectively. Her parents, Robert and Doris Hunter, predeceased Rita on November 18, 2019, and January 8, 2021, respectively. 

Rita also leaves to cherish her memory a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, church family, and work-family, all of whom were integral parts of her life.

 An Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

We invite you to share your memories and upload your sentiments and/or any photos to the memorial page, as a tribute to the kind, and gentle life of our beautiful sister and friend, Rita.

There will be a celebration of Rita’s life on December 6, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Queen Anne Baptist Church, 2011 1st Avenue N., Seattle, WA. Public transportation or rideshare services are strongly encouraged, as free residential street parking within a few blocks of the church is very limited.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/ways-to-give), Antioch University (https://alumniandfriends.antioch.edu/support-antioch), and/or you can plant a memorial tree in Rita’s memory using the button on this page.