Obituary of Lenore M. Hunter

November 19, 1927 - August 10, 2020

Lenore M. Hunter. Age 92 of  Southgate. 

Beloved wife of the late Ray Jr.  Loving mother of Marguerite (Michael) Kenney, Ray Arthur (Mitzi) Hunter, Cindy (Andy) Ousterhout and Bill (Barbara) Hunter. Dearest grandmother of Christopher (Tara), Tyler, Brittany (Julie), Brooke (Matt), Hunter (Jasmine), Aidan (Jessica), Ross, Jeremy, Avery and Troy. Great grandmother of Henry and Brayden. Dear sister of the late Margaret Shelly.

 

Family Tribute

Lenore Emma Misch Hunter passed peacefully on August 10, 2020, at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit surrounded by family. 

Lenore was born in Detroit, Michigan, on November 19, 1927, to Arthur O. Misch and Olga George Misch.

Lenore lived in Detroit on Helen Street with her family including her grandmother, Henrietta Goerke, and sister, Margaret W. Misch Shelly. They enjoyed visiting their cottage on Harsens Island along the St. Clair River during the summer and on weekends. Lenore loved to take rides on her dad’s Chris Craft cruiser, the MarLee. Boating and swimming remained some of her favorite activities for her entire life.

Lenore graduated from Detroit Commercial College in 1947 where she earned top honors in accounting and secretarial skills. She was extremely proud of her professional career, working as the executive secretary to the president of the J. Walter Thompson Advertising Agency for several years.

In 1952, Lenore was a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding in Trenton, Michigan. The flowers happened to be delivered by another friend of the bride, Ray A. Hunter Jr. The rest is history — they were married in Detroit on January 23, 1954. Ray and Lenore lived in Southgate for the rest of their lives and raised four children there.

The Southgate home was next door to the family business, Ray Hunter Flowers. Lenore played a vital role in the business over the years with everything from accounting to cooking for employee celebrations. She was always the face of hospitality for the annual Christmas Open House at the store. The shop remained a central part of her life until it closed in 2019 after 100 years! 

Lenore was an avid fan of Detroit sports, especially the Tigers, with the Red Wings and Lions not far behind. She also adored the MSU Spartans and was thrilled to meet “Sparty” a few years ago while attending a Spartan football game. 

Lenore was a fabulous cook, loved to read, do needlepoint, and played golf and bridge with her friends. She was a tireless volunteer for numerous organizations such as the Downriver YMCA, Wyandotte Presbyterian Church, Hunter School PTA, and the Detroit Women’s Florist Association. She and Ray also loved to travel and especially loved spending time in Leelanau County, which became a favorite for the entire family. 

Lenore’s ten grandchildren were the delight of her life. She took great interest in all of their activities and achievements. They loved “Nonnie” and will always remember her love and sense of humor. She was especially delighted to meet both of her great-grandchildren who were born in 2019. 

Lenore is survived by her four children, Marguerite (Michael) Kenney of Lake Leelanau, Ray Arthur (Mitzi) Hunter of Dearborn, Cindy (Andy) Ousterhout of Lake Forest, Illinois, and Bill (Barbara) Hunter of Gibralter. She is also survived by her grandchildren Christopher, Brittany, Brooke, Tyler, Hunter, Aidan, Jeremy, Ross, and Troy; as well as great-grandchildren Henry and Brayden. 

Cremation will take place at The On-Site Crematory located within the Molnar Funeral Homes - Brownstown Chapel.

Memorial contributions are appreciated to Wyandotte Historical Society, YMCA-Downriver and Salvation Army.