MARGARET (Wood) HUNT

Margaret Wood Hunt died January 23, 2024 at Spring Harbor Retirement Community in Columbus, Georgia. She was the oldest of three children born to Maggie Whaley and Wilbur Wood in Cuthbert, Georgia on January 11, 1938.

Margaret grew up in the First Baptist Church in Cuthbert. After she graduated from Andrew College in 1958, she married John Richardson Hunt on June 1, 1958, and became an active member of Cuthbert United Methodist Church. She served on various committees, taught Sunday school, sang in the choir, and often played both the piano and the pipe organ.

Margaret received a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Masters in Education from GA Southwestern College, and an Education Specialist’s degree in Administration and Supervision from Georgia State University.

She worked as the Reading Coordination and Curriculum Director for the Randolph County School System. She served two terms as the last elected county school superintendent in Georgia before superintendents were hired by local school boards.

She resigned in 1991 to become Executive Director of the Regional Educational Services Agency (R.E.S.A.) in Americus. She also served as Interim Superintendent for Quitman County Schools on three separate occasions and  returned to Andrew College to teach for two years.

Margaret also took horticulture and flower arranging courses, attended workshops, and won blue ribbons. She was a National Council of State Garden Clubs Flower Show Judge Emeritus. She was also featured in the Columbus Ledger Enquirer, for her gardening ability and often provided arrangements and courses at her clubs and church.

In 2004, Margaret and John moved from Cuthbert to Fortson, Georgia, to be nearer to their grandchildren.  They became members of Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church where they worshiped. There they met and enjoyed many friends in the church family.

After John's death in 2016, Margaret moved to Spring Harbor Retirement Community, where she volunteered in the health clinic. Margaret demonstrated a love for painting. She was known to attend weekly art classes with fellow painters coached by renowned instructor, Cynthia Golden-Frasier. Her distinguished painting collection grew over time and was honorably displayed in the Spring Harbor’s Golden Gallery.

Margaret was predeceased by her parents, her husband, John Richardson Hunt, her brother, Clarence Wilbur Wood, of San Antonio, Florida, and her sister, Carolyn Wood, of Eagle Harbor, Michigan.

She is survived by her three children: Joseph Huddleston Hunt of Decatur, Georgia, Margaret Melissa Hunt Redding of Columbus, Georgia, and Susan Katherine Hunt Kelly of Tallahassee, Florida; daughter-in-law, Maureen Hunt of Largo, Florida; three grandsons, Jesse Hunt Redding of Prattville, Alabama, Benjamin Dallas Redding of Columbus, Georgia, and Matthew Taylor Hunt (Marina) of Arlington, Virginia.

She is also survived by one brother-in-law, Dr. Joseph Benjamin Hunt of San Diego, California;  three sisters-in-law: Josephine Hunt Mills of Austin, Texas; Mary Hunt Bartlett of Fort Valley, Georgia; Jean Wood of San Antonio, Florida; and numerous nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 27, at Cuthbert United Methodist Church, Cuthbert, Georgia, with Rev. Lynn Meadows-White officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Cuthbert United Methodist Church P. O. Box 449 Cuthbert, GA 39840, the building fund of Pierce Chapel United Methodist Church in Midland, Georgia, or the Andrew College General Fund.

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