Greene Prairie Press, Carrollton, IL., Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Hope Hunnicutt, age 90, of Hillview, died early Wednesday morning, April 13, 2005 at Boyd Memorial Hospital in Carrollton.

She was born Sept. 1, 1914 in Woodville Township, the daughter of Charles Stephen and Lucy Borlin Cummings.

She married Robert Lee Hunnicutt on Aug. 7, 1939 at St. Louis, Mo. and he preceded her in death July 5, 1957.

She is survived by a niece, Gloria Cummings-Vandaveer and husband, Jack of Shawnee, Okla.; a nephew, Robert Neville and wife, Beth of Boston, Mass.; a great nephew, Robert Slavens of Shawnee, Okla. and two great nieces, Naomi Louise Neville Rothermel of Newport, R.I. and Leonora Alice Neville Rhody of Washington, D.C.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Howard L. Cummings and George B. Cummings and three sisters, Sybil Braun, Alta McClenning and Rose Neville.

Mrs. Hunnicutt was a schoolteacher at the Upper Sand Ridge School, the Hillview School and Carrollton Elementary for 40 years, retiring in 1977. She was the boys' basketball coach while teaching at Hillview and a cheerleading sponsor at the Carrollton School. She was a member of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association. Since her retirement, she enjoyed needlework and baking cookies, making up to 100 dozen cookies at Christmas time to deliver as gifts. She served as the Mayor of Hillview during the 1970's, and during the flood of 1993, she was instrumental in the relief effort and the reconstruction of Hillview as a volunteer in assisting workers and victims. She was also a member of the Hillview Baptist Church.

Memorial services for Hope Hunnicutt were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16, at the Hillview Baptist Church with the Rev. Bill Smith officiating. Vocalist Rachel Cox sang "Thinking About Home" and "Safe In The Arms of Jesus." Mary Raabe played the piano and Ruby Bowman played the organ. Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in White Hall was in charge of arrangements.

Submitted by: Allen Handling