Richard W. Hunter, age 82 of Willowick, peacefully passed away December 29th, 2023 at Hillcrest Hospital surrounded by his family. He was born July 19th, 1941 in Cleveland to the late Wade and Jean Hunter.
Rich was a U.S Army Veteran. He was a retired Tool & Die Maker for P.O. McIntire Company in Wickliffe after 51 years of service. Rich was recognized as the Honorary Distinguished Citizen (Pat and Rich) of the year by Willoughby Rotary, the Wrestling Hall of Fame (nomination in progress) and the Euclid High School Sports Hall of Fame inductee for football, wrestling and track/field.
Rich never left his wife’s side and was inseparable for 60+ years. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. Rich coached wrestling at the YMCA for 41 years, spanning generations. He created personal connections with kids and families that stood the test of time. He taught wrestling moves and life lessons that left lasting impressions on his youth wrestlers.
Rich traveled to Vero Beach, Florida during the winter months for the past 16 years. He loved his corvette and the time spent with his wife and dog Babe cruising. He enjoyed talking to people and taking a genuine interest in getting to know them. He had a joke for everyone. He also took pride in working out – he spent time at the fitness center in Cleveland and Vero Beach.
Rich was the loving husband for 60 years to Patty Hunter (nee Muscenti); beloved father of Wendy (Mike) Cefaratti, Tony (Linda) Hunter and the late Kimberly Hunter and Jeffrey (Sally) Hunter; devoted grandfather of Hailey and Dylan Hunter, Sophia and Lola Hunter, and Danielle (Mike) Reilly; brother of the late Linda Hamner; uncle to many nieces and nephews.
The Hunter family will receive friends from 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon Friday, January 5th, 2024 at Jeff Monreal Funeral Home, 1000 Mentor Ave., Painesville. A Funeral Service will be held at 12 Noon Friday at the funeral home. Burial will follow at All Souls Cemetery.
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13 Replies to “Richard W. Hunter”
Rich was one of the really good guys I knew years ago from Euclid High School His many accomplishements are due to his dedication and abilities to excel. An honest person who it was an honor to know thru the years. From the times he and Patty organized the High School reunions to the time spent with family, he was a man to respect and have fun with. RIP Rich. To Pat and famiy my condolences for your loss. Your hearts will have a large hole now but know the everlasting legacy Rich has left for so many people.
A great guy to know and one of the most dominant forces of wrestling in NE Ohio.
It would be hard to imagine any single person that impacted more lives in a positive way than Rich Hunter.
I knew him for 40+ years and valued his counsel for all that time.
RIP Rich.
I just remember being very scared the first time on the wrestling mat. Coach Hunter was in my corner. He looked at me and knew I was nervous. He stuck his tongue out at me. It made me laugh and the nervousness went away. I won the match. Coach Hunter had a heart bigger than 10 elephants. A great role model and fun to be around. He held kids accountable. He worked them hard but made it fun. A phenomenal person. I loved my conversations with him especially as I got older. He will be thoroughly missed.
Husband, father, grandfather Rich you will be missed.
Coach Hunter had such a positive impact on many young athlete’s lives including mine, teaching the fundamentals of wrestling, seeking out competition and learning new skills. I still do my hear-shaped push ups today that all started at West End Y.
I’ve had the privilege of having some great coaches in my life, but there is not another coach at the CYO level that dedicated more of his time, love and energy to Ohio youth wrestling than Coach Hunter. Thank you coach.
One of a kind , Rich impacted more young wrestlers with his amazing program for many,many years and he will always be in our hearts and minds.
John Romeo
God Bless you Coach Hunter. Thank You for what you did with the kids at YMCA. I will always cherish our friendship.
What a role model… for the youth and adults…
It was my great privilege to have had the opportunity to assist Rich in coaching the boys at West End Y. His teachings not only instilled in me the skills to work with young boys but also provided me with an in-depth understanding of various wrestling techniques. His legacy will continue to live on through the countless lives he has touched, and his absence will be felt deeply. Rest in peace, Rich.
Coach Hunter positively impacted so many young people’s lives through wrestling, myself included, whether realized at the time or not. He and his team of coaches really taught us all the fundamentals of healthy competition, something that transcends wrestling to many aspects of life. Many of the values I learned through him and West End Y youth wrestling program, continue to resonate with me today: how to be a fair and aggressive competitor, how to be humble in loss, the value of not giving up, perseverance, and teaching others. I owe much of my approach to life to these experiences. Thank you Coach Hunter.
We have lost a true living legend in the sport of Ohio wrestling. Rich was loved ,respected and appreciated by so many people because of his great program . And yes , somehow he made wrestling fun and built character in young boys at the same time .
Thanks Coach
Rich taught me the basics of wrestling and gave me the opportunity to be great at something. He made that program a powerhouse and positively affected so many young people with his humor and his energy. I will always cherish my experience with West End YMCA wrestling and with Rich. My condolences to Pat and her family.
Mr Hunter was my wrestling coach at the West End YMCA
He not only taught wrestling but turned alot of boys into men
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