Beverly Ann Thornhill Hunt passed peacefully into the arms of her Lord Jesus Christ on Feb. 3, 2024, at the age of 94. Born July 30, 1929, daughter of Larkin and Ruth Thornhill of Little Rock, Ark., Beverly married F. Samuel (Sam) Hunt in 1950 and they had three children. The Hunts moved to Madison, Wis., in 1959 as founding pastor of East Madison Baptist Church.

Beverly taught elementary school in Madison from 1965 to 1980. She enjoyed international travel to both Israel and Pakistan, and the Hunts often opened their home to UW-Madison international students including a Pakistani engineering student who continues to be an integral part of the Hunt family. They also invited Beverly’s nephew and niece to live with them when family support was needed. Beverly earned her master’s degree in education at UW-Madison at age 36, her private pilot’s license in her mid-40s, and her Ph.D. in education at the University of North Texas at age 66.

In 1980, Beverly had moved to Texas and continued her career in education, teaching English-as-a-Second-Language mathematics at Greiner Middle School, at the time the largest middle school in inner-city Dallas. She retired from teaching in 1996 to plunge full-time into creative sewing projects and inventions. Her motto was, “There’s got to be a better way.” Beverly used her Ph.D. research skills to assist cancer doctors researching the fungal link to cancer; for them she co-produced books, articles, and a monthly newsletter before publishing her own cookbook based on her research. Beverly returned to Wisconsin in 2010 to be near family.

Beverly was preceded in death by her parents; Sam Hunt; brother, Larkin Jr.; and sisters, Virginia Lou Francis and Margaret Harris. She is survived by her youngest sister, Joan Marie (Kim) Smith; and by her children, Ken (Christine) Hunt, Virginia (Bill) O’Brien, and John (Cheryl) Hunt; and close family friend, Buland (Nina) Mahmood. Beverly is also survived by 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to express appreciation to the staffs of HeartSong, Inc., Belleville, Wis., and Heartland Hospice for their loving care during these last months and weeks of Beverly’s life.

A memorial service will be held at NEW GLARUS BIBLE CHURCH, 207 Sixth St., New Glarus, WI 53574, on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the start of the service at 11 a.m. A graveside service will follow at Hauge Lutheran Cemetery, County Trunk Highway A, Mount Horeb. Flowers are welcome; memorials may be given to New Glarus Bible Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson West

Funeral & Cremation Care

7435 University Ave.

(608) 831-6761

Beverly T. Hunt

July 30, 1929 - February 03, 2024

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