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Hunter Parker White

Hunter Parker White, Sr. passed away peacefully April 30, 2021, at Baptist Hospital South in Montgomery. A funeral service will be held Friday, May 7, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Montgomery with Dr. Karl K. Stegall officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service from the church garden. A graveside service will be held Friday, May 7, at 2 p.m. at Green Hills Memorial Cemetery in Troy (three miles west from the U.S. Highway 231 South and Alabama Highway 29/10 overpass exchange).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles King and Mazie Parker White, Troy; brother, Charles King White, Jr., Eufaula, and sister, Jane White Emerson of Oak Ridge, Tenn. He is survived by Julia Wiley Brantley White, Troy, and their five children, Hunter Parker (Kris) White, Jr., Montgomery; Lucas Marshall (Julie) White, Mountain Brook; Elizabeth White Diebel, Montgomery; Matthew Wade (Angie) White, Auburn; and James Abner White, Memphis, Tenn.

His 13 grandchildren are Hunter Parker White III and Brantley White; Boston, Mass.; Oliver White, Sam White, and Jake (Addie) White, Mountain Brook; Mazie Bryant, Birmingham, Camilla Bryant, Atlanta, Ga.; Judson T. Diebel, Montgomery, Chas Diebel, Montgomery; Jack White and Avery Ann White, Destin, Fla.; Wiley Jackson White and Brennan White of Niceville, Fla.; and one recent great-grandson, Parker Blaze White of Mountain Brook.

Parker White was a man who loved his family, his cabin at Lake Eufaula, trips to the beach, and Auburn football. He believed that personal success came directly from hard work. He was an outstanding athlete from the time he was in his early teens. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and gardening. Wherever the family moved, he started a garden.

Growing up in Troy, he was an Eagle Scout at age 14. He graduated from Troy High School, in 1950, where he was an outstanding all-around athlete (he liked to say, “during THS’s Glory Years,” of two undefeated football seasons) receiving awards in football, baseball, basketball, and track. After graduation, he was the recipient of a football scholarship from Auburn University (then A.P.I). After graduating high school, but before reporting to Auburn, he served active duty in the U.S. Army for two years during the time of the Korean War. He played two years of football at Auburn, and, after a knee injury, then accepted a full athletic and academic scholarship to Troy State University, where he was captain of the football team in 1954-55. He then returned to Auburn for his senior year, graduating with a degree in Business Administration.

After graduating from Auburn, Parker began coaching high school football, which culminated in his being named the Head Coach at Covington County High School in Florala from 1958-61. He was named recipient of the of the Alabama High School Coach of the Year Award for outstanding leadership in bringing success to a Florala football team that hadn’t won a game in four years prior to his arrival.  He helped place seven young men on major college scholarships during his last two years of coaching. Many of his players kept in touch with him throughout his life.

Parker moved his family to Montgomery in 1962 where he began an outstanding sales career as a representative for Equitable Life, and later accepted a management job with Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Co. He was active in the YMCA Central Board as chairman; rarely missed attending the YMCA Men’s Exercise class, (and regularly gave a big fish fry at his home for members and friends). He was a member of First United Methodist Church, where he attended the Wesley Men’s Bible Class, serving as president of the class. He was a member of Montgomery Country Club for 39 years. He actively served on the committee that developed the Auburn Letterman’s Lounge at Jordan Hare Stadium.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First United Methodist Church (2416 W. Cloverdale Park, Montgomery, AL 36016) or to Dr. Karl K. Stegall Seminary Scholarship Foundation (P.O. Box 241661, Montgomery, AL 36124). Friends and family can sign the guestbook online at www.greenhillsfuneralhome.net. The staff of Green Hills Funeral Home is honored to serve the White family.