Susan Cross Hunter, of Exeter, NH, died peacefully at age 90 on Saturday, January 27, 2024, with family and friends by her side.
Sue was born on September 25, 1933, in Worcester, MA, to Louise Holden Cross and George Irving Cross. She was the younger sister of Brewster Holden Cross and Carolyn Irving Cross. She graduated from Sever Street Preparatory School in 1947, Williston Northampton School for Girls in 1951, and Smith College in 1955, with a degree in French.
After graduating from Smith, Sue moved to Boston in 1956 to start her career at the investment management firm Loomis, Sayles & Co. While in Boston, mutual friends introduced her to John Samuel “Sam” Hunter II, who had just graduated from Harvard Business School, and they married in 1960 near her family’s summer lake home in East Brookfield, MA. In 1961 Sue and Sam became parents to John Samuel Hunter III, followed by Alison Louise Hunter, Deborah Holden Hunter and Laura Russell Hunter in 1963, 1967 and 1971 respectively. Sue was a warm, sweet, fun, loving mother and grandmother, and was her happiest spending time with her 4 children and 5 grandchildren, especially when traveling or playing card games together, which was a long family tradition.
Sue and Sam lived in several places as they raised their kids, but settled down in Stratham, NH, in 1977. After all of their children left home, Sue went back to work and found joy in working at a local jewelry store in Exeter, NH, and eventually ended up at Timberland, a then-small boot manufacturer. Sue was very proud of her long career at Timberland, which included being the very first customer service representative, eventually heading up the customer service department where she was known as “The Friendly Voice of Timberland.” After 20 years, Sue retired from Timberland in 2005.
Sue was especially well known for her charitable activities and community service. For decades she proudly contributed to many organizations. She served as a member of the Finance Advisory Committee for the school board, was the Supervisor of the town’s voter checklist, led the local League of Women Voters, and was the president of the 76ers, a local senior citizen’s organization. Sue was a longtime active member of the Stratham Community Church, serving on the Finance board (15 years), Music Committee, Human Resources Committee, and Pastoral Search Committee. She was also a deacon, sang in the choir, served as a bell ringer, supervised the ticket sales for the annual Stratham Fair, and was part of the Women’s Guild. Sue is the only known member of the church to have been awarded the title of Trustee Emeritus. Sue especially looked forward to helping with the monthly Church Suppers given the special friendships she had with the other volunteers, and being able to see many friendly faces from across the Seacoast.
Alongside her family and community service, Sue’s true lifelong passion was travel. She was always up for a new adventure. She first caught the travel bug in college visiting France, where she perfected her French and fell in love with Le Mont Saint-Michel, biked through the Loire Valley, drank fine red wine and enjoyed French food. Then she learned to enjoy traveling via sailboat, and especially loved the summer waters of Boothbay Harbor, and Casco Bay, ME, and the winter waters of the Caribbean. In her retirement, she traveled throughout Europe and North America with family and friends, and especially relished the warm climates of Hawaii, the Caribbean, Greece and southern France.
Some of Sue’s happiest times were spent at her family’s cabins on Lake Lashaway in Massachusetts, bucolic summer homes built by her father and filled by Sue each summer with friends, family, swimming, canoeing, and laughter. She ultimately loved being on the water, but also found joy in simple day-to-day pleasures: reading mystery novels, watching Red Sox games, eating coffee Oreo ice cream, going out for a lobster, drinking Manhattans, listening to Billy Joel, and taking long drives along the beautiful New England seacoast.
“Sassy-Susie,” as was her nickname, will be remembered as someone who loved and was loved by many, who was quick to laugh and make others laugh with her dry wit, and who never got dressed without her quintessential pearls. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Sue was predeceased by her father, George Irving Cross; mother, Louise Holden Cross; brother, Brewster Holden Cross; and sister, Carolyn Irving Cross. She is survived by her four children, John Samuel Hunter III of Chicago; Alison Louise Hunter of Del Mar, CA; Deborah Hunter Bonenfant and son-in-law Brian of Richmond, VA; and Laura Russell Hunter of Exeter, NH. She also leaves behind five grandchildren: Joey, Emily, and Marie Bonenfant, and Aiden and Ryan Hunter.
Sue’s life will be celebrated on February 17, 2024, at 11am at the Stratham Community Church in Stratham, NH. All donations can be made in her name to the Stratham Community Church, 6 Emery Lane, Stratham NH 03885.