Charissa Hunter

Our Lord Jesus Christ took Charissa "Charie" Bawn Hunter from this life to be with the angels Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. She was doing what she loved, playing soccer in Baruch Playground in New York City when she was touched by God and called to glory. Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday, Oct. 15, at St. Mary's Baptist Church, 1252 N. Acadian Thruway East. Interment will follow the funeral services in Roselawn Memorial Park&Mausoleum, 4045 North St. Charissa was filled with kindness, generosity, a love of God, her family, friends and her community. Her motto was "Live Life Unafraid." She never met a stranger and was always the first to greet someone with her wonderful smile. She believed in treating others the way she wanted to be treated. She served tirelessly to support increase in services for poverty related programs. She also served as the chairperson for many charitable events to benefit women with cancer and HIV. Her commitment to help the homeless was unending. She also served as a member of the "Stupid Cancer" organization and joined their fight of cancer in young adults as a volunteer commentator for their online radio broadcast. She was involved in several hobbies including sketching, drawing and acting. She was an accomplished artist and wrote and directed several off Broadway plays. She traveled extensively abroad and loved sports. She participated in several since she was a small child; track, basketball, karate, swimming, river rafting, biking and soccer. Her greatest passion was for soccer. She played throughout her life. She belonged to the National Soccer Association and served as a game official in Virginia and Washington, D.C. She belonged to several teams. She practiced and played several times a week. Neither rain nor cold temperatures or other in climate weather kept her from playing. A known fact in our family was if you visited her, be prepared to attend at least two soccer games during your visit. Charissa attended St. Aloysius and Sacred Heart of Jesus elementary schools and high school at St. Joseph Academy in Baton Rouge. She also attended Southern University in Baton Rouge and Southeastern University in Hammond. She was employed with Deloitte&Touché, Washington, D.C., and New York City, in their public relations department for a number of years. Prior to her time with Deloitte, she was employed with Lipman&Hearne Inc., a public relations firm in Washington, D.C. Preceding Charissa in death were her paternal grandparents, Ed and Alice Hunter; maternal grandparents, Willie and Viola Angelle; aunt, Roma Lee Angelle; uncle, Pilley Williams; great-uncle, John Rogers Andrus; great-great-paternal grandmother, Nettie Carter; great-great-maternal grandparents, Telesphor Prejean and Alice Roy; and great-great-aunt, Ethel Jones. Left to mourn her parting are her parents, Dr. Charles Sr. and Dr. Barbara Hunter; brother, Dr. Charles B. Hunter Jr.; aunts, Christine and husband Alphonse DeCongé, Julia Karen and husband Larry Davis, Annette Marie Angelle, Lisa Ann Angelle, Dena Melanie and husband Leo Johnny and Jacquelyn Denise Hunter; uncles, Bob Willie and wife Lisa Angelle, Edward Earl and wife Carolyn Hunter, Terry Gotch, Kenneth Jerome Angelle Sr.; and great-aunts Clara Mitchell, Hazel Livings, Velma Broussard and Alice Thibodeaux. She is also survived by a host of first cousins, Angela Hunter Veal, Shannon Williams, Schwanda Williams, Jamanda Angelle, Kimberly Angelle, Tiffany Angelle, Toby Dugas, Candice Alex, Larry Davis Jr., Angelle Latre Davis, Alexander Higginsbotham Davis, Earl Hunter Jr., Michael Hunter, Christopher Henry, Kendall Renee Angelle, Kenneth Jerome Jones, Shelton LeBlanc, Kennahdi Ahmed Angelle; godparents, Barbara Covingington and Eddie Burgess; second cousins, Arnesia Arnette Dugas and Aaron Jamal Dugas; and her tireless supporting companion, Barkley Hunter.