Aileen (Gabbard) Hunt

Aileen (Gabbard) Hunt, age 95, died peacefully at Westover Retirement Community in Hamilton on Saturday, October 17, 2020. She was born in Hamilton on October 2, 1925, to Grover and Lucy (Barrett) Gabbard. She graduated from Hamilton High School and was employed as a secretary for Baldwin Lima Hamilton. On August 25, 1956, she married the love of her life, Harlan Hunt, Jr. They were married nearly 63 years and parted only by Harlan’s death in 2019. Together they raised two beloved daughters, Anita and Alisa. Aileen was a loving wife, mother and devoted companion and caregiver for her widowed mother until Lucy’s death at age 100. 

Aileen’s life was centered around home and family. She was the keeper of family photographs and memorabilia and collaborated with her brother, Gene, to compile the Gabbard genealogy. An avid reader and lifelong learner, she studied a broad range of subjects with keen interest and curiosity, especially history and the natural sciences. She had an encyclopedic memory for details and was very good at trivia games and word puzzles. Aileen loved the treasure hunt of a good tag sale, second-hand store, flea market or antique shop. She enjoyed family vacations, traveling by car or camper on a different route each year, visiting relatives from Michigan to Florida and stopping at national parks and historic sites along the way. She adored Elvis and was thrilled to visit Graceland. In her mature years, Aileen was more of a homebody and an armchair traveler who relished quiet time with family, tending her flower beds, birdwatching and appreciating nature’s beauty from the front porch. She enjoyed Bible study and was a member of the West Side Baptist Church.

She is survived by her daughters, Anita Hunt and Alisa Hunt; sisters-in-law; Jean Gabbard, Lavada Hursell, Inez Hunt and Patti Hunt; brother-in-law, Russell Hunt; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Harlan; her brothers, Judson, Dennis and Gene, and by her parents.

The family is grateful to the nurses, aides and staff at Westover for the years of compassionate care she received, and to Queen City Hospice for providing bedside support through her final weeks.

Burial will be in the Gabbard family plot at Greenwood Cemetery in Hamilton, where Aileen’s and Harlan’s remains will be interred together. A graveside service will be held Monday, October 26, 2020, at 11:00 am. Family and friends are asked to wear masks and observe safe social distancing at all times. For those who may prefer to stay in their vehicles, drive-through attendance is very welcome. 

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