Roll Call Tribute

Thomas Cornick Hunter, Jr. 

September 28, 1929 - March 20, 2024 

On March 20, 2024, Thomas Cornick Hunter, Jr. passed away at the age of 94. Tom was born on September 28, 1929 on his family’s farm in Oceana, Princess Anne County, Virginia to his parents, Thomas Cornick Hunter, Sr. and Amelia Marcella James Hunter. When he was six, his family moved off the farm to London Bridge Road. During his youth, he was active in the Boy Scouts and became the first Eagle Scout in Princess Anne County, a fact of which he was very proud. Tom graduated from Oceana High School at the age of 16 and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), graduating with a degree in civil engineering and obtaining his professional license. He joined the U. S. Army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant. During his Army service, Tom also obtained his Master’s Degree from Texas A&M University.

While stationed in Washington DC, Tom met the love of his life, Marcia Janet Ward. When Tom was assigned to serve in Japan, he wrote to Jan and asked her to marry him. They married by proxy and she traveled to Tokyo where they began their life long love affair. Tom would often tell people that he “had been married twice and was playing golf the first time”. And then he would laugh and laugh. They were married for 67 years and gave their children and grandchildren a wonderful example of a good, strong marriage.

Tom served his country faithfully for 26 years. During that time he traveled the world. He was an Aide to the Chief of the Corps of Engineers, also serving in Korea and in Vietnam, where he commanded the 36th Engineer Battalion. He was a graduate of the Naval War College and a member of the General Staff at the Pentagon. Tom commanded the 24th Engineer Group in Germany, finishing his Army career as the District Engineer for New York.

After Tom retired from the Army, he started a second career as a District Manager and then Senior Vice President of the Law Engineering Group. He retired at 65 and devoted himself to his family and his church. Throughout his life, Tom was a strong and faithful member of whatever Episcopal church he attended. Tom was baptized at Eastern Shore Chapel at Oceana and was proud of the fact that his family had been faithful members for generations.

Tom was predeceased by his beloved wife, Marcia Janet Ward Hunter, his parents, Thomas Cornick Hunter Sr, and Amelia Marcella James Hunter, his brother Wilson Keeling Hunter and sister-in-law Peggy Tharpe Hunter, and nephew Wilson Keeling Hunter, Jr. (WK). He was also predeceased by his beloved uncle, Jonathan Hunter (Peck) and his wife Vandy Widgeon Hunter and his aunt, Louise Lindsey Hunter.

Tom is survived by his four children, Sharon Morris (Jimmy), Mark Hunter, Susan Erichsen and Dawn Jackson, and grandchildren Meril Raley, Marney Erichsen, James and Thomas Hunter, Mitchell Donahue and Virginia (Ginny) Hunter. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Barbara Haffner and her husband Sam and their family, his sister-in-law, Patricia Beeler and her family, and his cousin, Linda Hunter Brunick, her husband, Jerry, and their family.

A visitation with the family will be held at H. D. Oliver, 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach on Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 4 to 6 PM. A graveside service will be held at Eastern Shore Chapel Cemetery on March 25, 2024 at 11 AM. Following the service, a reception will be held in the Parrish Hall at Eastern Shore Chapel.