Billy 'Chief' Eugene Hunter

Billy Eugene Hunter went home on 28 August 2012 to be with his Lord and Savior and be reunited with his beautiful wife Sara, of forty-three years. He was 73 years old.

Billy was born on 15 July 1939 in Fitzgerald, Georgia to Robert V. and Laura E. Hunter. He graduated from Fitzgerald High School in 1959 and hitch-hiked his way to Warner Robins where his sister and her family lived. He quickly fell in love with the town and its people and Warner Robins became home for him. While attending High School he proudly began serving his country in the Georgia Army National Guard

He began working for Inland Container in Macon, Georgia and then in 1963 he went to work for the Warner Robins Fire Department. He loved the comradery of his fellow firemen and serving the community but his true passion was for law enforcement. He soon set his sights for the Warner Robins Police Department and in 1966 he became one of the first certified police officers for the City of Warner Robins. In 1973 when Sheriff Cullen Talton first took office he hired Billy as his Chief Deputy. In 1976, Warner Robins Police Chief, W.H. "Pip" Rape hired him back with the police department as his Assistant Chief and in 1977 when Chief Rape retired, Billy became the Warner Robins Police Chief. He was the first police officer in the police department to attend and graduate from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia to become certified in special training. He continued as Chief of Police until his retirement in 1983. He bought Houston Mattress Factory upon his retirement and operated it until closing it in 1998.

Throughout his years in Warner Robins, he drove the school bus for Houston County schools for forty-eight years where every child that passed through the bus doors became one of his own. He loved all his school children. He also served as Route Supervisor for the Board of Education Transportation Department.

He has served on many boards; Habitat for Humanity, Combined Employees Credit Union, Middle Georgia Daylight Mason Lodge #756, Happy Hour Service Center, Warner Robins Civitan, and is a member of the Al Sihah Shriners and on the Board of Trustees for the Bonaire Daylight Lodge #756. He was passionate about his service, the clients and the staff with the Happy Hour Service Center. He repeatedly said, "If you're ever having a bad day, walk through the doors at Happy Hour and when you come out the other side you will feel better."

Recently his family and friends hosted a "We Love Billy" day and hundreds of people came from all over the country to visit with him and tell him how he made an impact on their life. He lived his life in finding the good in every person. The one word that resonated from everyone to describe Billy was "legendary".

Billy was a devoted father, papa, brother, uncle, cousin and friend and leaves behind many family and friends to walk in his footsteps to become more like him; his daughter, Donna Hunter Glenn and her husband John, of Bonaire; his son, Bryan Hunter and his wife Tonya, of Bonaire; his pride and joy –his grandchildren, Bailey Churchwell, Bryan Hunter, Jr., Dawson Churchwell, and Madison Hunter, all of Bonaire; Christopher Glenn and his wife Candace VanZande, of Los Angeles, California; Jenna Weber and her husband Jeff, and Jordyn Glenn; great-granddaughter, Brooke Glenn, of Tennessee; his sisters, Grace Hudson, of Ocilla, Georgia and Mildred Winn, of Savannah, Georgia; his special friends, Jackie Barnett, Danny Churchwell, and Tony Graham; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins who all loved him with a passion. He has served his family and community well and now it is time for him to rest.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 30, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. Celebration Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 31, 2012 at Southside Baptist Church with interment following in Bonaire Community Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully suggests memorial donations to the Bonaire United Methodist Church Building Fund, 144 Elm Street, Bonaire, Georgia 31005 or to Southside Baptist Church Building Fund, 1040 South Houston Lake Road, Warner Robins, Georgia 31088, or to the Middle Georgia Daylight Lodge #756, 226 Azalea Avenue, Bonaire, Georgia 31005 or to Happy Hour Service Center, 716 Young Avenue, Warner Robins, Georgia 31093.



Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088