Obituary of Harry Hunter

Harry Hunter, age 68, died Thursday, July 14, 2016 at home in Sunnyside. Harry was born March 22, 1948 in Brooklyn, NY. He served in the Army during the Vietnam War and was a Correction Officer with the NYC Department of Corrections. Harry Hunter - my beloved husband. Harry and I fatefully met in October 2007 through my sister, Sandra. They were working together at the time and Harry had seen a picture of me and called me to ask for a closer acquaintance. We went on our first date on 16 October 2007 and have never looked back. Harry impressed me first of all because he looked so well presented. When I got to know him better, I realized this was all part of his character. He loved to look dapper and classy. He matched his suit to his tie, his shoes, his watch, his hat and always brought a smile to my face at the amount of care he took to look presentable. He had been brought up to look his best and he always did. From wearing suits to Hawaiian shirts and cargos, my husband was always stylish. But Harry really impressed me because he was the epitome of a gentleman from day one, from opening doors, to pulling out my chair to even making sure I was not walking on the car passing side of the curb. I have never met anyone else like him and indeed, there is no one else like him. Harry is that rare kind of person who just cares about people and in my fortunate case, he loved me like I was the centre of the world, his world. Harry accompanied me to Perth, Australia, on the other side of the world where he met my family and extended family at my mom's 60th surprise birthday in 2010. I loved Harry even more than I did on that occasion. He fit into my family like he was always meant to have been part of it. Harry was exceptional at putting people at ease and finding common ground to converse and he did it all with a laugh and a tale. Not only did my family accept Harry but they immediately loved him like a son, a brother, an uncle, a cousin and friend. And Harry's love for me extended to my family. In 2011, my sister came to live with us when my niece Alexandra was born. From the day of her birth until now, Uncle Harry has been a godsend to Alex. To Harry and I, she was literally our 'girl'. From watching her as a baby to becoming a toddler, helping her walk, feeding her, teaching her the alphabet, taking her on walks, to plays in the park, to eating ice cream and pancakes at Foxys to dropping her off and picking her up from day care and looking after her to taking vacations with her to seeing her move to Perth to go to school and become a little 5 year old precious girl, he has been by her side through it all. He was heartbroken when Alex had to move to Perth but accepted it was best for Alex to be with cousins of her own age. A piece of his heart went with her and he promised he would visit her. Harry and I decided to get married in 2011. There was no over the top proposal or grandiose overture. We just knew that we were meant to be together and we decided to make it official, in the traditional way. We had already been sharing our lives and this was just another step in our future. Harry and I flew with our 'little family' of Alex and Sandra to Perth in January 2012. We were married on 19 February 2012. We had a beautiful church wedding and a fun-filled and unforgettable reception with family and friends. I introduced Harry to the Aussie way of life, the sunshine, the picnics, the BBQs, the beaches, the trips to wineries, his favorite Brown Brothers Moscato sweet white wine and he embraced all these things. But he was a true New Yorker at heart. He was proud of his upbringing, his heritage, his service to his country and hometown. There was no one who met Harry that did not instantly love and respect him. All our family and friends, young and old held him in high esteem and treasured their conversations and time with him. He always made time for everyone especially his nieces and nephews, from going to swim meets, to baseball games to attending merit award ceremonies at school to just sitting and doing lego or painting. No activity was too small or trivial for Harry to say no. He indulged the kids and loved them like they were his own. But yet, in his own extraordinary way, he taught them the life lessons he had been brought up with and earned through his years. He made them want to try harder and be better just to hear him say to them that they had done 'a great job'! They competed to make him proud and he was generous in the praise and love that he returned. Harry also adored his daughter Jazzmin and granddaughter, Aria, his band of brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. He was always a family man. Many a time would he go to spend time with his dear brother Lou (who has now passed), we would have dinners with Jazzmin and Aria and spend time together with his niece Val. Harry experienced and achieved so much throughout his personal and professional career and this showed in the honorable way he lived in his life and the integrity and compassion with which he did everything. He did not believe in half measures, he always gave everything one hundred percent. He believed in hard work to achieve your goals, he believed in doing the right thing, he was a patriot, he was considerate, he was kind, he was open-minded. He was everything a true man, a gentleman, should be and more. Harry and I reveled in the good times but we also weathered the storms. We endured it together and we overcame. He was my rock, my guardian, my best friend, my confidante, my refuge, my sanctuary and my beloved husband. To put it simply – I love Harry and always will and cherish everything that he did or encountered to be the person he was. There will never be anyone else for me and the ache in my heart from this loss will never truly go away. Although our time was cut short, I was blessed to have had him in my life and for the beautiful times we had. Until we meet again, I will hold him in my heart and look forward to our next time together. On March 22, 1948, Sarah Louise & Glenn Edward Hunter became the proud parents of their 3rd set of twins, one of which was their 4th son, Harry who was born in Brooklyn, New York's Kings County Hospital. Harry was educated through the NYC public school system and attended PS 28, JHS 73 and Franklin K. Lane HS. In 1965 he joined the US Army and started his career in serving & protecting. He served until 1970 having fought in the Vietnam War in which he was decorated with multiple service, campaign and commendation medals including the Purple Heart. Following in the footsteps of his brother Louis (who proceeded him in death), Harry parlayed his military career into law enforcement and became an Officer with the NYC Department of Correction at the infamous Riker's Island Jail. As one of NYC's Boldest, Harry bravely and proudly represented and was well-regarded by his many peers for his poetic professionalism and personable presence and was even cast in the 1997 motion movie "Turbulence" in which he transports a high-risk inmate to jail in the opening scene. Throughout his lifetime, he effortlessly embodied and embraced his character and charm and he naturally commandeered cour-age and respect of all that he encountered. Harry retired in 2000 and with newfound time on his hand, he established Eyez On U Security. He successfully secured personal security details for profiled industry executives of notable entertainment companies including Essence, Jay Z's 40/40 Club & Time Warner. Harry was more than just an officer and he took great pride in considering himself the sum of every-thing that his parents and big brothers made him. He wore HUNTER as his most esteemed badge of honor and lived his life conscious of the legacy and traditions that he wanted to impart on his family especially in the life of his cherished baby girl which he passionately named Jazzmin for his romance with music. Harry was known to be quite stylish and sometimes super "fly" and he was quick to let anyone know that his older brothers influenced his dapper ways. To the fellas he was respected as a man's man, to the women he was adored as a ladies man and to all who got to spend time with him, he was revered as a true Gentleman! In 2007, as his wisdom set in and as he silently yet gallantly battled cancer, Harry worked hard to tune his profile in courage. He set his sights on enjoying every moment of what was to be of his remaining days. He took great solace and retreat in family time and realized new meanings in life once he became a Grandfather to Aria Jordyn. When life threw him lemons he chose to make the sweetest lemonade and always saw his glass as half full. During a most difficult time, Harry met and was smitten by Carolyn, who he referred to as his latest and greatest inspiration—his Burmese Babe. Harry and Carolyn enjoyed a whirlwind love and were mar-ried in Perth, Australia in 2012. This union afforded Harry a renewed sense of family and as he and Carolyn lived, laughed and loved through his health challenges, he opened his heart to the abundant love of his new family and shared his love to the best of his ability with all that loved him in return. Fondly referred to as the kind-hearted gentle giant, Harry was a thoughtful and considerate man who cherished his friendships and often visited and vacationed with those that he maintained lasting and loving relationships with. He took to heart and shared the life lessons he learned and always saw life as a gift worth memorializing. Harry's soul lives on within the hearts of those that he is survived by—especially his siblings, Edna, Glenn, Benjamin, Bertha and his twin Hortense. He also leaves to mourn, his daughter Jazzmin, his granddaughter Aria, his wife Carolyn and a host of nieces, nephews, in-laws and special loved ones. Life is to be lived. Lead or I will. Remember the good times. Make family matter more. Honor thy Mother & Father. Family is all things. Love them through… This world is yours, I paid your debt... Visitation will be Thursday, July 21 from 5-9PM at Edward D. Lynch Funeral Home, Inc, 43-07 Queens Boulevard, Sunnyside, NY. Funeral Mass will be held 10:00 am on Friday, July 22, 2016 at Queen Of Angels RCC, 44th Street And Skillman Avenue, Sunnyside, NY. Burial will be in Calverton National Cemetery following the Mass.