Nancy Gay Turner Hunt

August 6, 1938 - May 11, 2025

Known as “Nancy Gay” to her beloved Chattanooga cousins, “Turner” to her lifelong friends from youth, “Nancy” to her Hendersonville community, and “Mom” to all her children, Nancy passed away peacefully with family by her side on May 11, 2025.

Nancy Gay was born August 6th, 1938 in Chattanooga to Pearl Bernice and Mack Anderson Turner. She shared her memory of riding her bicycle down the big hill on Lerch Street, feeling on top of the world and free. We mourn her passing, but are comforted knowing she is free again. All her life, she embodied her City High School motto: “Tough as nails; Hard as bricks; We’re the Class Of ‘56!”

Nancy earned her Bachelor of Arts at UT Chattanooga and taught high school French after graduation. She met the love of her life, Jerry Cheek Hunt; they married and moved to Hendersonville in 1968 to raise their four children. Many of her children’s friends felt like she was a second mom, with her house and heart open to everyone.

She was enormously proud of the Indian Lake Warriors Swim Team, being one of the founders of both the club and the team and ever-present at meets on hot summer Tuesdays. The Indian Lake swimming pool and the swim team defined summers in the Hunt household. The memories and lifelong friendships will always be in our hearts. Another point of pride for Nancy was learning to fly airplanes - she soloed in a biplane at the Gallatin airport, then hung up her wings; mission accomplished. She loved playing tennis and bridge, boating on Old Hickory Lake, walking the white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, and eating homegrown tomatoes from the garden.

First United Methodist Church was her early church home, where she loved to sing in the church choir and also with the Community Singers of Hendersonville. She later joined the First Presbyterian Church of Hendersonville, and was active there in the choir and church community. In recent times, she received communion in her home with Pastor Michael Davis and devoted church family members.

Additionally, Nancy was a very proud and very much loved and respected long-time member of Alcoholics Anonymous. She began her journey on March 27th, 1987, and bravely marched forward until her death, having recently celebrated her 38th year of sobriety. Nancy loved and helped so many as she “Trudged The Road of Happy Destiny”.

She is preceded in death by her parents Pearl Kelly Turner Bottiggi (Lou) and Mack Anderson Turner (Josephine). Nancy is survived by her brother Louis Lawton Bottiggi, Jr. (Jean); children Guy Gregory Hunt (Karen), Nancy Gay Zimmerling (John), Laura Kelly Hunt, and John Cheek Hunt (Vui); grandchildren Jessica Lauren Mancini (Anthony), Guy Gregory Hunt (Kami), Jacob Dalton Hunt, Keiffer McKinzee Aanderud, Andri Jane Alexandrou, Eleni Vasoulla Alexandrou, Clara Marie Zimmerling, Natalie Ann Zimmerling, Lily Grace Hunt, and Mimi Gay Hunt; great-grandchildren Denver Hunt, Deacon Hunt, Haven Hunt, and Dominic Mancini, plus extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins, and their children.

Her family tree is growing bigger every year and every person that met her carries a piece of her in their heart.

Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to Mamie Fisher and Kristina Smotherman for their compassionate love, care, and friendship to our mother in her closing years.