William Edwin Hunter, 78, died Aug. 11, 2005, at his home.

Born Oct. 1, 1926, in North Carolina, he was the son of the late Carndley W. and Elton Irene Eason Hunter and brother of the late Jarvis B. Hunter. A lifelong farmer, he and his family were chosen as Farm Family of the Year in 1992.

He was an Army veteran of WWII and a member of Cypress Chapel Christian Church, the Men’s Bible Class and was a former deacon of the church.

Survivors include his wife, Ruby O’Berry Hunter; daughter and son-in-law, Patricia H. and John C. Smith of Suffolk; son and daughter-in-law, William B. &uot;Billy&uot; and Barbara J. Hunter of Suffolk; grandchildren, Tracy A. Hunter, Rebecca C. Smith, Emily H. Smith; sisters, Irene B. Harrell, Edith H. Powell, both of Suffolk; and a sister-in-law, Claire R. Hunter of Suffolk.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday in the R. W. Baker and Co. Funeral Home and Crematory by the Rev. Willis Dowling and the Rev. Tommy Reynolds with burial in Holly Lawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday. Memorial donations may be made to the Simpson Memorial Scholarship Fund, in care of Sandra Butler, 2077 White Marsh Road, Suffolk, VA, 23434 or to the American Cancer Society, 604 Constance Woods Drive, Suffolk, VA, 23434. Condolences may be registered at www.rwbakerfh.com.