Pawling – Mary Nanette Guthrie Hunt, a longtime resident of Pawling, New York, died early Saturday morning, August 5, 2017 at home under hospice care. She was 90 years old.
Nanette was born in Brookneal, Virginia on July 24, 1927, daughter of the late Elsie Mary Payne Guthrie and John Conway Guthrie. After completing her nursing degree at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, she married Shelley Hunt of Wingdale, New York and Raccoon Ford, Virginia, in October 1949.
As a young mother, Nanette was active in many community and church organizations and gave her time and enthusiasm freely. She was a den mother to Cub Scout Troop 34, a Brownie leader, a PTA chairperson, frequent room mother at Pawling Elementary School, choir member and teacher at the Central Baptist Church of Pawling and Ordained Deacon and Sunday School Superintendent at Christ Church on Quaker Hill. She was a past president of the Pawling Garden Club and won many awards at their juried flower shows for her well-designed flower arrangements. She was a member of the DAR, the Aiken Hall Society, and the Pawling Historical Society. In the early 1970s, Nanette helped found the Webatuck Craft Village with her husband Shelley to encourage developing craftspeople in the Hudson Valley and in nearby Connecticut. She also helped establish and manage the Webatuck Trading Company, which was a gift shop of American made handcrafted items. She enjoyed attending the national and regional craft shows and appreciated the beautiful and skillful work. She was also a corporate secretary for Hunt Country Furniture, Inc.
Nanette was a breast cancer survivor and appreciated the support from Lighthouse for the Blind after she lost much of her sight to macular degeneration. In her last weeks, hospice was of tremendous help to her and her family.
She was known for her generous spirit, outgoing personality, enthusiasm, big smile, and her love of family, friends, travel, novels, music, dancing, singing, flowers, and fine dining. She gave and attended many dinner parties, and was known for her summer tennis parties and for the legendary annual Christmas parties where she prepared most of the menu.
Nanette is survived by her husband of 67 years, Shelley McBride Hunt, and three children:
Michael Conway Hunt, Pawling, Lynette Hunt Demetri, Pawling, and Andrew William Hunt (Ellie Callahan Hunt), of Raleigh, North Carolina, one brother, William Payne Guthrie of Brookneal, Virginia, one niece, Brenda Guthrie Short, of Nathalie, Virginia, and four grandchildren:
James Demetri of Brooklyn, NY, Katherine Demetri Donnells (Martin Donnells) of Washington, DC, Elizabeth Hunt of Asheville, NC, and Stuart Hunt of Raleigh, NC. She also had many beloved cousins in North Carolina and an aunt who recently reached her 100th birthday, Susan Payne Morgan. Nanette was preceded in death by a brother, John Conway Guthrie, Jr, and a nephew, William James Guthrie.
Friends and relatives may call at the Horn & Thomes Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling, NY on Tuesday from 2-4 and 6-8pm. The funeral service will be at Christ Church on Quaker Hill on Wednesday.While she loved flowers, donations may also be made to the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Home at PO Box 1398, Brookneal, Virginia 24528, the Lighthouse for the Blind, or the local hospice.
