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Remembering Maxine Morrison Hunter

Writer's picture: Hunter Family FoundationHunter Family Foundation

May 12, 1930 - November 30, 2024


Dear friends and partners,


We’re writing to share the news that our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Maxine Morrison Hunter, passed away peacefully late last year at the age of 94.


Maxine’s life was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with love, a boundless spirit, and an unwavering devotion to her community. She touched many lives, and we are profoundly grateful to each of you who brought joy to hers and showed her such kindness. Her absence is deeply felt by all who knew her.


As the co-founder of the Hunter Family Foundation, Maxine dedicated herself to creating a legacy of generosity and care, empowering individuals and families with the tools and opportunities to thrive. It is our honor to continue this vital work, guided by her vision and compassion.


We hope you will take a moment to read more about her life below.


With thanks,

Bill Hunter, Tom Hunter, and the Hunter Family

 

With a natural zest for life and all of its blessings…


…Maxine Morrison Hunter’s love of family and never-ending thirst for knowledge guided her throughout her life.


Born and raised in Lake Forest, IL, Maxine, the daughter of Lois and Willard Morrison (along with her three siblings and two half-brothers), developed a great love of music, gardening, and the outdoors.


When she was young, Lake Forest was a quiet community, and Maxine would ride her bike to Gorton School from west Lake Forest. While a student there, she met her childhood sweetheart and future husband, Thomas (Tom) B. Hunter III. He proposed to her for the first time in the eighth grade. Yet, it wasn’t until Maxine graduated from Lake Forest High School, Colby Sawyer College, and spent a few years in Manhattan, that the two were married on August 16, 1952, at her family's home. Their love story spanned more than seven decades.


Maxine was a loving homemaker and mother of two sons, Thomas B. Hunter IV and Willard M. Hunter. Maxine continued her passion for music as a classically trained pianist and gained a reputation as a favorite piano teacher among many local students. Her love of music was a focal point of her life, even leading her to learn jazz piano while taking music theory classes at Lake Forest College. Both of her sons have clear memories of trips to the city on Friday afternoons to enjoy performances at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.


Maxine was a member of the Ravinia Festival “family” for more than 50 years. As a Women’s Board member, she was at the heart of those who shaped the spirit of this organization. Her involvement with the Chicago Botanic Garden began in 1971, before it was open to the public, and she remained involved for the rest of her life. She was the founding board President of the Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods and her support never wavered. Maxine’s love of gardens and gardening kept her an active and award-winning member of the Lake Forest Garden Club and the Garden Club of America beginning in 1973. She also served as a board member of The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago and The Antiquarian Society of the Art Institute of Chicago as a lifetime member.


One of Maxine and Tom’s most meaningful accomplishments was the creation of the Hunter Family Foundation in 1993. Initially, HFF supported the arts because it was a shared interest of the Hunters. It wasn’t long, however, before they found themselves giving to more community-based initiatives in the areas where they lived. Outside of Chicagoland, they supported organizations in Boca Grande and other communities where their children and grandchildren reside.


Maxine’s legacy lives on through her family—most especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was fortunate to know six generations of the family. She will be lovingly remembered for her nurturing and generous spirit, her curiosity, her optimistic outlook, her philanthropy, and her ability to bring people together and make them feel “at home” in her presence.


Memorial contributions can be made in Maxine Morrison Hunter’s name to Ravinia Festival and Chicago Botanic Garden.

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