James Ronald Hunter

James Ronald Hunter, owner and chairman of Hunter Marine Transport Inc., Nashville, Tenn., died January 6, 2017 of cancer. He was 72. Survived by: wife, Nuhad Khoury: son, James Howard Hunter: sister, Carolyn Hunter Lampley (Lewis). nieces and nephews Lori Tigert, Lisa Brunson, Lee Ann Ramey (Joe), Neal Lampley (Mary), Troy Lampley (Sandy) and their children. Preceded in death by parents, Sarah and James Wade Hunter, and brother, Gary V. Hunter.Ron graduated from Nashville’s Cohn High School in 1962. His enthusiasm for racing and drag racing in particular began in high school. He developed a drag racing team touring the country and Canada while also managing Tennessee Speed Sport. He won the National Class Championship in 1967 at the 13th Annual National Championship Drag Races. While experiencing several accidents, he never had a serious injury and stopped racing to become the credit manager at Hippodrome Oldsmobile. While there he turned to the love of the river as a career and began arranging barge transportation. In 1976 he purchased a small towboat which he named Sarah G. Hunter, after his mother. With it and a few old barges, he founded Hunter Marine Transport and began hauling general cargo and providing towing services for other towing companies and docks between Nashville and Cairo, Ill. The following year, he added the L.R. Chapman, and a year after that the J.W. Hunter, named after his father. Others followed, and in 2008, the company put into service its first new vessel, the 3,600 hp. James H. Hunter, named for his son. The Hunter Marine fleet now numbers 14, which includes his namesake vessel, the 8,000 hp. mv. Ron Hunter.Throughout the years, Hunter diversified his interest and grew the business to include owning and operating a large riverside bulk terminal in metro Nashville. Hunter also specialized in the distribution and sale of dredged river sand through this and other terminals. In 2007, he relocated the daily operation of his fleet of boats and barges to the newly-built operations center in Paducah, Ky. The corporate office remained in Nashville as it still does today. In 2009, he bought out his sand supplier and formed Hunter Sand and Gravel, which brought the dredging operation under his control. In late 2016, he sold the sand and gravel and terminal businesses to friendly competitor, Pine Bluff Materials.Other than his family, Ron loved boats, barges and the business, Hunter Marine, more than anything. He was very passionate about the company and the inland marine industry, and he made it his life’s project. A private graveside service was held Sunday, January 8, 2017 at Woodlawn Cemetery. Pall bearers were Bobby Barthel, Kent Furlong, Steve Goeller, Glenn Hendon, Neal Lample, Troy Lampley, Danny Pitchford, Danny Whitford and Honorary pall bearer Bobby Johnson. A memorial service will be held 11AM, January 20 at First Presbyterian Church of Nashville, 4815 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN. Immediately following the service there will be a buffet reception at Richland Country Club, 1 Club Drive, Nashville, TN. In lieu of flowers it is encouraged that donations be made to any of the following:Alive Hospice 1718 Patterson St. Nashville, TN 37203 MD Anderson Cancer Center PO Box 4486 Houston, TX 77210-4486 St Jude Children's Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105 .Tennessee Baptist Children’s Homes PO Box 2206 Brentwood, TN 37024-9885