Frank Leeds Hunnicutt

Frank Leeds Hunnicutt (Palm City, FL), beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed as he wished - peacefully in the family summer home in Clinton, CT on July 8, 2025 with his family surrounding him during his last few days.

Born on January 6, 1931 to Margaret Wilcox Hunnicutt and J. Edgar Hunnicutt, Jr., Frank was raised in West Hartford, CT. He attended the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT where he was an outstanding track athlete. Before dutifully serving in the Army during the Korean War, he attended Williams College for two years. Frank then finished his college education at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. With his sharp engineering mind, he worked at Veeder Root in Hartford from 1955 - 1963. Frank started H & H Motors (Hunnicutt & Hartley) in Plainville, CT, one of the first Volkswagen dealerships in Connecticut, in 1963. After selling his interest in 1970, he continued to have a variety of entrepreneurial ventures during his semi-retirement years.

Frank married Jean Adams Hunnicutt in 1958, and became a proud father to his three daughters, Lynda, Donna, and Lisa. The family lived in Avon, CT, and spent summers in Clinton, CT, with many memorable (VW) car trips to Florida during winter vacations. In 1968, the family moved to the warmer climate of Pompano Beach, Florida but continued summer sojourns to Clinton.

In the late 1970s, Frank met his future wife, Dollie Hemphill, who was always by his side until the very end. They shared a wonderful, active life together, playing tennis year-round in both FL and CT, and traveling to Europe, Canada, throughout the US and the Caribbean, including visits to Maryland to see Dollie’s family. They lived in several beautiful homes in Fort Lauderdale, Stuart, and Vero Beach, Florida, prior to moving into Sand Hill Cove in Palm City in 2016.

Frank’s happy place was truly the family beach house in Clinton which he purchased in 1959, with sixty-five idyllic CT Shoreline summers to follow…creating so many family memories of water skiing, sailing, motor boats and jet skis, endless games of croquet, badminton, and backgammon, and teaching his girls to drive a stick shift VW Beetle!

Always the consummate gentleman and host, Frank welcomed dear family friends and neighbors to visit Sols Point Road, and everyone knew that Happy Hour on the sundeck was at 5pm sharp! Frank patiently taught his daughters, Dollie, grandsons, and numerous others how to waterski and sail over the years. And up until his 88th summer, Frank took at least one circle around on water skis himself – it was his personal summer challenge! Frank and Dollie both enjoyed spending time with their grandsons, Alex and Christopher Tragakes during the summer months, watching them become the special young men they are today.

Dollie provided unconditional love and care to Frank, and we are grateful for all she has done for him over the 50 years that they were together. They loved each other dearly, and we know Dollie feels as if her heart is broken, as we all do…Our dear father, husband, and grandfather will be missed greatly, but we know he waited to be in Clinton, his favorite home, with his family by his side, to rest in peace.

Frank is survived by his wife, Dollie Hunnicutt, Palm City, FL; daughters, Lynda Tragakes (Ron Stevenson) of Westbrook, CT; Lisa Hunnicutt of Kremmling, CO; Donna Hunnicutt of Laguna Niguel, CA, and grandsons Alex Tragakes (Maria Morris) of Biddeford, ME, and Christopher Tragakes (Autum) of Eaton, CO as well as several nieces and nephews.

Frank was predeceased by his parents; brother Edgar W. Hunnicutt.; sister Betty Ann Bailey; son-in- laws Nick Tragakes and Martin Stringfellow.

Burial at Wilcox Cemetery in Berlin, CT will be private at a later date.