Eva Nell Hunter, longtime church library director for Central Baptist Church in Decatur and library specialist for Lifeway Christian Resources, died Nov. 21. She was 94.
A native of Amory, Mississippi, Hunter was the first person on either side of her family to attend college. While attending the University of Southern Mississippi, she had a work scholarship as a student secretary to the president. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a master’s degree from the University of Alabama. During her teaching career at both Decatur and Austin high schools, she taught math, English and drama. She was the first computer science teacher at Decatur High School and later served as assistant principal there for 10 years.
Library experience
As 1 of 4 library specialists for Lifeway, she hosted the North Alabama Church Library Conference every year, with at least 100 people attending from Alabama and surrounding states.
She served 64 years with Central Baptist’s library ministry (now called the Serving Center because the resources have expanded beyond books) before retiring late last year from the full-time post. She served as director for 61 of the 64 years and continued in a volunteer role after her retirement.
More than 30 ministries are housed in the Serving Center, including die-cutting, displays of dolls and items from around the world, lamination, a card ministry and a church history collection. It is open to the public, and local educators and classes make use of the services.
One unique ministry is Bible repair for well-used Bibles, fixing the pages back in place and providing a new leather cover at no charge.
Missions volunteer ‘for life’
While Hunter is best known for her library work, describing her as a librarian “is a vast understatement,” said Rob Jackson, director of the office of church health for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and former pastor of Central.
According to Jackson, Hunter had a heart for missions like no other. “I can think of no one … who comes close to being a missions volunteer for life like Eva Nell Hunter,” he said.
She traveled to more than 49 countries on six continents during her lifetime.
“Eva Nell was one of the most Christ-loving, missions-minded, pastor-supporting and diligent-serving persons I’ve ever known,” Jackson said. “She gave her life to furthering the gospel through her library ministry. As she served with me at Central Baptist Church, I was often amazed at her tireless work ethic. Everything she did was always with excellence.”
The 2015 Lifetime of Mission Service Award recipient, Hunter dressed up as Lottie Moon at Christmas and Annie Armstrong at Easter for more than 40 years and presented monologues in churches to support missions giving.
Widespread impact
She also started libraries for churches across the U.S. and missionaries overseas until she was in her late 80s. Her international trips included Austria, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Brazil and Switzerland.
“When [my husband and I] knew we were going to another country, we would look up the missionaries there, and then we would call them and ask, ‘What is your greatest need?’ and invariably — they had no idea what we did — (they’d say), ‘We’d love to have a church library,’” Hunter shared earlier this year.
And because of her perseverance, noted by several as the main attribute they learned from her, she always got those libraries started.
Hunter was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Mark George Hunter; son, Haran; and a stillborn daughter. She is survived by three daughters — Mara, Rena and Cindy — seven grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
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