Martha Jane Hunt

On April 14, 2017, Martha Hunt peacefully passed away in her home. Mrs. Hunt was born in Sherman, Texas, on December 18, 1932, to Margaret and Oscar Benton Moss. She spent her childhood years in Sherman, Texas, where she also attended and graduated from Austin College. In 1955, she married the love of her life, Jimmy Don Hunt. They were happily married for 44 years until Mr. Hunt died in 1999.

Mrs. Hunt served the Plano Independent School District for 42 years. She began her career in education as a teacher at Mendenhall Elementary. She served as the Math Curriculum Coordinator for the district and later returned to Mendenhall Elementary as the principal. She loved her students and her staff. Martha was the model of what a principal should be and was respected by all who knew her. Her motto was always, "Let's do what is best for the students." She recognized the potential in her teachers and her students and encouraged them to become the best they could be. One of her proudest moments came in 2005 when the Martha Hunt Elementary School opened its doors to serve students of the Plano Independent School District.

Even after Mrs. Hunt retired, many of her former staff members continued to gather to celebrate her birthday each year. Last December she celebrated her 84th birthday surrounded by many of her former staff members. She was not only a wonderful principal and mentor; she was a true friend to those who were fortunate to work with her. She will be greatly missed.

Mrs. Hunt is preceded in death by her mother, Margaret Mercer; her father, Oscar Benton Moss; her husband, Jimmy Don Hunt; and her sister-in-law, LaVon Greenawalt. She is survived by her niece, Donna Marie Lenamond; great-nephew, Shane Lenamond; and a multitude of friends, colleagues, and former students.

A funeral service will be held on Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 12pm in Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, with a catered reception held from 11am-12pm - one hour PRIOR to the service - in the funeral home. A committal service will follow at 2:30pm on Thursday in West Hill Cemetery, Sherman, Texas. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County (2205 Los Rios Blvd, Plano, TX 75074), SPCA (8411 Stacy Rd, McKinney, TX 75070), or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105).