Gregory Scott Hunter

Greg learned early his love of languages and stories during his remarkable childhood spent exploring Polacca, Arizona (on the Hopi Reservation) with his sister, Stacey. Growing up the son of trader Byron Forrest Hunter Jr. and Barbara Joan Hunter, he was captivated by the mythos of the Diné people, saw Ogre katsinas come to life before his eyes, and spent evenings listening to his father’s accounts of working with the talented artisans of the Navajo and Hopi nations. He spent those early years honing his use of the Navajo (Diné Bizaad) language and a deep respect for the tales of the indigenous nations and history of Arizona.

In 1970, Greg’s family returned to Phoenix, where he attended Phoenix Country Day School and embarked on his own story to become Greg “The Machine” Hunter, a talented swimmer under the tutelage of Bob Gillett at Arizona Desert Fox. He earned his nickname quickly as he discovered the language of his swim team: consistent work, strong companionship, and a dogged determination to achieve one’s goals, which he did. He was beloved by his teammates, swam race times that rivaled Olympic-qualifying swimmers at the time, and held the record in the 1600 meter at his high school for over thirty years.

In the early stages of his career, he returned to the stories of his youth while working alongside his father, Byron, at the Heard Museum in Phoenix. Here, he shared his passion for American Indigenous arts and cultures with the public. Ever curious, Greg eventually returned to school to pursue his excitement for a new kind of language: the language of coding. He excelled as a student, and was soon asked to teach at DeVry University, a role he took great pride in. When he moved beyond the classroom, his expertise, dedication, and ability to stay on the leading edge of new coding languages supported a long and successful career in cyber security.

Throughout his life, Greg loved nothing more than to use his own -isms and turns of phrase to craft stories, in which he captured his adventures and shared the deeds of the many people he met along the way. No matter the mood or life lesson that was needed, he had just the right anecdote ready to recount. On long days, he day-dreamed of sitting around his favorite table at the family cabin in Pinetop, Arizona, his dog at his side and his family surrounding him. He’d be regaling them with tales ranging from hilarious to heartfelt, from meandering to meaningful, and from epic in scale to quietly profound. While his many accomplishments all deserve to be celebrated, his ability to weave the singularly perfect story for any given moment will be among the most missed.

Greg is survived by his wife, Melissa Hunter; daughters Stacey (Scott) Pearson, Heather (Casey) McNutt, Justine (Vaughn) Hunter Camacho; son Austin Hunter; grandchildren Alexandria Pearson, Carson McNutt, Lillian Pearson, Bayleigh McNutt, Caitlin Pearson, Corwin Pearson; and sister, Stacey (Terry) Hunter-Jones.

A Memorial Service will be held at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, 200 West Beardsley Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85027, on April 25, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a Refreshments also at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.