Joan Foster Hunter, 91, died Monday, October 19, 2020 at her home in rural Montgomery City, Missouri.

Joan Frances Foster was born in Jacksonville, Illinois on April 2, 1929 to Harry W. Foster and Mabel Frances Foster.  She married Harold Hunter, Jr. on June 15, 1950 in Jacksonville, Illinois.  They soon purchased their farm and built their home in Montgomery County, Missouri.  They were married for 67 years until he preceded her in death on March 8, 2018.

Joan graduated from Jacksonville High School in 1945 and received her B.A. in English from MacMurray College in 1949.  She taught in the New Florence school district of Montgomery County in the 1951-52 school year and from 1957-64, she taught high school English in Montgomery City.  She received her master's degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia and taught English there while pursuing further studies from 1964 until 1967.  In 1967, she accepted a position as an instructor of English at Northeast Missouri State College (now Truman State University) and taught there until her retirement in 2004.

Joan loved being a student as well as being a teacher and continued to take university classes (even delving into such subjects as chemistry and pre-flight aeronautics) down through the years.  She was an avid reader and gardener.  She greatly enjoyed working crossword puzzles.  A sports enthusiast, she was a fan of Duke basketball, the St. Louis Cardinals, and U.S women's tennis.  Together with her husband, Joan always enjoyed farm life and, particularly in later years, working with their Charolais cattle.  They made many happy trips to New Orleans (where they had honeymooned) as well as to other destinations in the United States.

Joan is survived by three children:  Janet Hunter Polson and husband, Barry, of Livonia, Missouri; Harry W. Hunter and wife, Marylu, of Alexander, Illinois; and Bill Hunter and wife, Kristy, of Montgomery City, Missouri.  Surviving grandchildren are:  Luke Polson and wife, Erin, of Montgomery City, Missouri: Joellyn Polson of Livonia, Missouri; Matthew Hunter of Alexander, Illinois; April Hunter of O'Fallon, Missouri; Joshua Hunter of Montgomery City, Missouri; Cody Hunter of Montgomery City, Missouri; and Morgan Hunter of Montgomery City, Missouri.  Eight great-grandchildren also survive.

Joan was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Hunter, Jr., and her parents, Harry W. and Mabel Frances Foster.

Joan was cremated and there will not be any services at this time.  Her ashes will be interred at Antioch Cemetery in Morgan County, Illinois near Jacksonville alongside those of her husband.