Sunday, August 13, 2023

Leonard Van Hunt

Leonard Van Hunt, 83, passed away on August 12, 2023, at Starkville Manor in Starkville, Mississippi. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, August 14 at Hopewell Baptist Church with Rev. Roger Griffith and Rev. Charles Rook officiating. Visitation will be the day of the service from 10:30 a.m. until 12 noon at Nowell-Massey Funeral Home in Louisville. Also, visitation will be at Hopewell Baptist Church in Choctaw County from 1 p.m. until service time. Interment will immediately follow the service in Hopewell Cemetery.

He was born May 24, 1940, in Choctaw County, Mississippi, to Thomas Clay Hunt and Exie Ray Hunt. Leonard was a member of Hopewell Baptist Church in Choctaw County. He was in the logging and trucking business all his adult life.

Leonard is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Joy Walker Hunt; son, James and wife, Rhonda, of Nanih Waiya; step-daughters, Juli (Mike) Hughes and Joni (Wade) McCulloch all of Ackerman, Mississippi. He also is survived by his five grandchildren: Dawn Hunt Mooney (John), Bridget Hunt Chandler (Nick), Scott Hughes (Shelley), Tori McCulloch Stafford (Kent), Meghan McCulloch Mullins (Patrick); his eight great-grandchildren: Carter Hunt, Gracie Hunt, Rhett Chandler, Caleigh Mooney, Colby Mooney, L. J. Hughes, J. R. Hughes, and Jamison Stafford; as well as his sister, Burl Lampley; brother-in-law, George Walker (Shirl); and sisters-in-law, Nellie Bailey and Barbara Walker. Leonard was preceded in death by his parents; two grandsons, Justin Caleb Hunt and James Derek Hunt; brother, Victor Hunt; and sister, Dean Beech.

Serving as pallbearers are Nick Chandler, James Carter Hunt, Scott Hughes, John Mooney, Colby Mooney, Patrick Mullins, and Kent Stafford. Memorials in honor of Leonard may be given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital online at stjude.org or to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital online at lebonheur.org or to the charity of your choice.

The family of Leonard would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff members of Starkville Manor for the exceptional care given him during the time he was there.

Services are under the direction of Nowell Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.com.