Richard Alan Hunnicutt was born November 16, 1940 in Union, SC, to Chester Alan Arthur Hunnicutt and Thelma Ruth Jenkins Hunnicutt. Because his father was a minister, the family moved many times during his childhood. Richard worked with him on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the early sixties. The family moved to Killen, AL in 1954 so he could attend Mars Hill Bible School. He graduated from there in 1959 and attended David Lipscomb College from 1959 to 1963.
He married Susan Joy Posey on June 29, 1963, and they moved to Florence. They were married for 54 years until her passing in 2017. He worked as a letter carrier for the post office for 32 years, and during that time eventually carried every mail route in the city of Florence.
He was a member of Sherrod Avenue Church of Christ since 1963 where he served as a deacon for many years. Richard was known for his quick wit, and several of the messages he posted on the church sign over the years were featured in the newspaper. He also drove the bus for the church ministry in the seventies and eighties, and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with his passengers. Richard was an amateur photographer and assisted on multiple occasions with pictures for the church directory. He was known for catching priceless candid shots at family gatherings.
After retirement from the post office, he worked as a volunteer at ECM Hospital and ECM East. He loved animals, especially the family cats. He also loved cars all his life and was a member of the Antique Car Club, whose members escorted his daughter Amy’s wedding party from the church to the reception in their classic automobiles. He attended many antique car shows over the years and won awards for several of his cars. He also had an extensive collection of license plates. He was pen pals with international collectors from all over the world with whom he traded for unusual plates.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents and by Susan, his wife. He is survived by one brother, Sam Hunnicutt of Huntsville, daughter Amy Hunnicutt Presley (Stacey) of Florence and son David Alan Hunnicutt of Huntsville, granddaughter Elizabeth Presley of Florence, five nieces, three nephews, six great-nieces, and six great-nephews.
A graveside service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21st, at Greenview Memorial Park in Florence with Scotty Sparks officiating. Anyone who wishes to attend and remain in your car may do so. The service will be broadcast so you may listen on your car radio while at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be given to Mars Hill Bible School.
