Elsie Hunt

Elsie Corinne Hunt was born November 18, 1934, Swan, Iowa to Bion Lee and Corinne Willis Hunt.  Elsie (87) went to be with Jesus, December 30, 2021 at Quaker Hill Nursing Home, Baxter Springs, KS.

Elsie grew up on the Iowa Family Farm and started school at age four.  At 15, she developed Rheumatic Fever and was required to spend the summer in bed.  She played the clarinet in band and graduated from Pleasantville High at 16. Elsie attended the Church of Christ of Vandalia, IA and was baptized October 16, 1950 in a local gravel pit. Elsie read her Bible cover to cover 14 times since 1950.

After High School she moved to Des Moines and got a job working at the Capital Building. In the summer of 52’ the family moved to Vinita, Oklahoma and Elsie joined them a few years later. Elsie worked at Eastern State Hospital and attended school at Northeastern OK A&M College in Miami, OK, 1954 – 55 where she studied Biology.  In 1956 she transferred to OSU Stillwater, where she met her husband-to-be Bill Cole, they married August 30, 1957 in Durango, Colorado. Elsie obtained her Bachelor of Zoology from Stillwater May 58’ and two weeks later gave birth to son Brand Duane Cole, June 8.  Elsie and her young family moved to Pratt, KA a few weeks later.

Daughter Carmen Corinne Cole was born August 13, 1960, Pratt, Ka.  Due to major complications during birth, Elsie’s endocrine system was destroyed (requiring her to take prednisone the rest of her life) as well as, short term memory loss. Elsie went on to get a Teaching degree in High School Biology. They moved to Wamego and then to Manhattan, Ka and in 1964 to Key West, Florida.

Elsie continued to teach High School Biology in Key West, which was no easy feat with short-term memory issues. While in Key West, Elsie, Bill and friends set sail to the Bahama’s.  Just minutes before their sailboat sank; God sent a frigate to their rescue.

Elsie moved to Texas in 1977 and worked for Sun Oil Company.  In 1979 she moved back to Vinita, taught Biology at White Oak and got her Insurance License. She sold insurance for three years all over the state of Oklahoma. On October 15, 2008 she married Jim Spencer and they moved to Sand Springs, OK. When Elsie became ill, 2020, Grandson Clint Cole moved her in with his family in Dayton, Ohio.

She was preceded in death by her Parents Bion Lee and Corinne Hunt, Husbands William Duane Cole and Jim Spencer, Brother Lawrence Lee Hunt, Sister Tommy Michael Hunt, and special Niece Josephine Janette Hunt LoMedico.

Elsie is survived by her Son, Brand Cole, Macomb, Oklahoma (Cole Family Farm); Daughter, Carmen Garrison, Clearlake, Washington; Grandson, Clint Cole, Grandsons Ethan & Kirk Garrison, Granddaughters April Jones & Loren Garrison, and five Great Grandchildren:  a Brother David  (Micki) Hunt, Galena, Kansas;  five Sisters, Jo (Billy) Jones, Carol (Archie) Miller, both from Gordon, Texas, Dotty May (Ron, deceased) Daniels, Big Cabin, Oklahoma, Judy (David) Wellborn, McKinney, Texas, and Priscilla (Ronnie) Hopkins, Vinita, Oklahoma (Hunt Family Farm) and a loving Sister-In-Law, Ann Hunt, Aubrey, Texas;  Seventeen Nieces, three Nephews and over 30 Great-Great Nieces and Nephews;  and a host of Iowa Hunt cousins and Altus, Oklahoma Willis cousins.

Elsie faithfully attended the local Church of Christ all her life.  Her Memorial Service will be at 11:00A.M Saturday at the Vinita Church of Christ.