Judith Hunter

Judith Mary Hunter (Peterson) died peacefully in her sleep on September 2, 2026, at her home at Mayfair Village Assisted Living in Columbus, Ohio. Her family would like to thank the staff of Mayfair Village Assisted Living and Suncrest Hospice for the loving care they provided.

Judith was preceded in death by her parents, Edgar M. and Arlene M. (Goltz) Peterson of Eau Claire, Wisconsin; her biological parents, Virginia Ruth Gard and Clarence William Peacock; several biological siblings, including her half-sister, Eileen Peterson, with whom she connected very late in life; her former husband and the father of her children, Rodney Hunter; her brother and sister-in-law, James and Barbary Peterson of Bruce, Wisconsin; her nephews, Bryan Peterson of Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin, and Blaine Peterson of Turtle Lake, Wisconsin; and her special cousins, Mariel and Bob Knoch of Apple Valley, Minnesota.

Judith is survived by her son, Scott Hunter of Columbus, Ohio; her daughter, Stephanie Hunter of Columbus, Ohio; her grandchildren, Jacob Alexander (Elizabeth) Shinnick of Delaware, Ohio, Zachary Lawrence Shinnick of Irwin, Pennsylvania, and Bayley Elizabeth (Matthew) Seidel of Columbus, Ohio; her great-grandchildren, Cloud Alexander Shinnick and Haven Elizabeth Shinnick of Delaware, Ohio; her step-grandchildren, Mikaela, Rhiannon, Brooke, and Mercedes Stewart; her nephew, Jay (Julie) Peterson of Ladysmith, Wisconsin; and her cousins, Chery Munns, Duffy Smith, and Heather Bell of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She will also be missed by a group of high school classmates who have reunited annually for a luncheon since 1958, as well as by her many close friends in both Columbus and Wisconsin.

Born Carol Jean Buettner in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, on March 28, 1940, Judith was adopted in infancy and lovingly raised by Edgar M. and Arlene M. Peterson in Eau Claire. Later in life, she learned about her biological family through DNA testing, including the identities of her birth parents, Virginia Ruth Gard and Clarence William Peacock. Although circumstances prevented her from knowing most of her biological relatives personally, she was grateful to connect with her half-brother, Mike Feuerstein; her half-sister, Eileen Peterson; and her niece, Kristyna Gibson.

Judith grew up in Eau Claire. She graduated from The Campus School in 1954 and was a member of the first class to graduate from the new Memorial High School in 1958. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison and graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology.

During grade school, Judith was published in Badger History Magazine for her report about a class visit to a school serving Native American students in Black River Falls. She served on the Red Cross team and, as a fifth grader, starred as Princess Lenore in the University College Players’ production of James Thurber’s “Many Moons.” In eighth grade, she became a moderator of a teen-time panel on the new WEAU-TV Channel 13, one of the channel’s first live programs. Judy also participated in the Footlighters Club, Girl Reserves, and The News, where she and a classmate wrote a gossip column for the weekly school newspaper called “The Broom—We Sweep Up All the Dirt.”

Judy was baptized at First Congregational Church in Eau Claire, where she served as president of Pilgrim Fellowship and was often a reader during Sunday services. She and a friend also worked together to write a history of the church in Eau Claire.

While attending college and working at the former Putnam’s Store on Clairmont Avenue, Judy served as president of the campus Psychology Club. The club formed a group called “The Bridge,” which helped people transition from mental health treatment back into the community by learning bus routes, making change, asking questions, and navigating social settings. She was also regularly named to the Dean’s List.

After graduation, Judy moved to San Francisco, California, where she worked for the former Crocker-Citizens National Bank, San Francisco National Bank, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. There, she met her future husband, Rodney Hunter. They were married on October 24, 1964, at First Unitarian Church on Geary Boulevard.

The couple later moved to Columbus, Ohio, where Judith worked as a classroom teacher for the agency now known as the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities, followed by a teaching position at The Childhood League. Judith also served on the Board of Trustees of Six Pence School in Columbus, a day school for children with learning disabilities, and was the first president of the Six Pence School Sustaining Board.

After her children were born, Judith was fortunate to spend several years caring for them at home before accepting a position with Inner-Visions and later with Kenneth’s Design Group, where she served as director of public relations. During her tenure there, she worked closely with Mr. Kenneth Anders to promote the hair-design salon. She also developed a fundraiser for Six Pence School called “Special Cuts for Special Kids,” believed to have been the first fundraising event of its kind sponsored by a hair salon.

In 1979, Judith began a career of more than 20 years with Zook Advertising, Inc. in Columbus. Within a year, she became the first vice president ever named by the agency. Her clients included BANC ONE CORPORATION, Bank One—now JPMorgan Chase Bank—SCOA Industries, Franklin Art Glass, The Second National Bank of Hamilton, Ohio, and Borden.

Following her retirement from the agency, Judy continued working on various freelance projects throughout the community. Over the years, she was active in the Business Marketing Group and the Advertising Federation of Columbus, where she served on numerous committees. She was a member of First Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Columbus, where sheserved on several committees, developed a video program, and wrote articles for the church newsletter.

Interment will take place in the Peterson family plot at Lakeview Cemetery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, at a later date. A celebration of Judith’s life will be held, with details to be shared once arrangements are finalized.

In accordance with her wishes, memorial contributions may be made to The Childhood League in Columbus, First Congregational Church in Columbus, or a charity of the donor’s choice.