McCreary_Obit Piedmont Post
1
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 21 Hunter McCreary, the Voice of Piedmont, died unexpectedly on September 22 of complica- tions resulting from a leg infec- tion. A lifelong resident of Pied- mont. Robert Hunter McCreary III was born on November 22, 1937, the son of Robert Hunter McCreary, Jr. and Carolyn-Lou- ise (Pratt) McCreary. He attend- ed Wildwood School, Piedmont Junior High School, and gradu- ated from Piedmont High School in 1955, He graduated from Cal with a BA in History in the Class of 1959, and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Following gradu- ation, he served on active duty with the Air Force for four years, at- taining the rank of Captain. Returning to the Bay Area, Hunter worked as a buyer for the Emporium for eight years, was the manager of American Drap- eries’ retail out- lets for five years, then bought and operated Dime & Dollar on Lake- shore Avenue for 14 years until it closed in 1992. He loved run- ning that store, and was often called the Mayor of Lakeshore. The store allowed him to remain ac- tive in community endeavors throughout the week while af- fording him a constant flow of information and conversation to keep his finger on the pulse of everything. His window displays were always a draw, especially at Halloween. Hunter became known as the Voice of Piedmont for more than 20 years as the stadium an- nouncer for the Piedmont High- landers football games. He an- nounced the annual Fourth of July Parade starting back in the ‘70s and including this year’s parade. He even played Santa Claus at Piedmont’s annual tree lighting ceremony, and a jollier laugh you will never hear. Hunter was a leader and member of many organizations over the last 40 years: He was President of the Wildwood Dads’ Club, President of CHIME (Citi- zens Highly Interested in Mu- sic Education), a member of the Board of the Millennium High School, member of the Board and Advisory Committee of the Piedmont Boy Scout Council, Assistant Scout Master for Troop 15, and Advisor to the Order of the Arrow. He served on the Al- ameda County Grand Jury for three years, was a member of the Board of Lakeshore Merchants’ Association, was a judge for the annual Lakeshore Avenue Easter Parade, was President and Secre- tary of the Grand Lake Kiwanis, and this year was the Secretary of the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club. An Eagle Scout as a high school sophomore, Hunter as an adult was honored with the Sil- ver Beaver Award – scouting’s highest honor – and the Harry M. Thomas Scout to Scouter Award from the Piedmont Council. His proudest Scouting achievement was presenting the Eagle Award to his son Bobby in 1977. With his booming voice and ease with a microphone in his hand, Hunter was a frequent auctioneer at charity benefits and was delighted to make himself available to help in any capacity when asked. In recent years, he thoroughly enjoyed driving the Schoolmates van for the Pied- mont Recreation Department, where he was known by chil- dren (many of whom are chil- dren or grandchildren of long- time friends) as “Mr. Hunter.” He never missed a single theater performance or ballgame of ei- ther of his two children. He passed on to others many things: his love of music and sports, his passion for all things Cal, his gift of gab, and his abil- ity to string together words of the four-letter variety in very creative ways. In 1980, with no real stage experience but a lifetime love of musical theater, he was invited by Austin Tichenor to play the part of Dr. Josiah Bartlett in the musical 1776. This was followed by three years of performances with Piedmont Community The- ater, spearheaded by Brad How- ard, John Cullom, Bruce Turner and Jeff Rowlings. This led to the founding of Piedmont Light Opera Theater (PLOT) with Alan Harvey in 1984. Over the next 19 years, he produced one musical each sum- mer, and was rewarded with seeing his effort become a popular part of the community, drawing performers and audi- ences from around the greater Bay Area. He was proud to have per- formed in every production, once only as an offstage voice. He particularly enjoyed the roles of President Roosevelt in Annie, Old Joe in Damn Yankees, La- zar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof, Horace Vander Gelder in Hello, Dolly!, twice as Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, and King Sex- timus The Silent in Once Upon a Mattress – obviously his most difficult role. Hunter is predeceased by his parents, Robert Hunter McCrea- ry, Jr. and Carolyn-Louise Pratt McCreary. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Susan Lankenau McCreary, his son Robert Hunter McCreary IV, his daughter Cath- erine Forrest (Catey) McCreary, his son-in-law Darell Breedlove, his step-grandson James Breed- love, his granddaughter Abigail Grace Breedlove, and his loyal beagle Peanut. He is also survived by a first cousin in Illinois and Susan’s mother, sister, brother-in-law, six nieces and nephews and six grandnieces and -nephews, all of whom he loved very much. A celebration of Hunter’s life will be held at Piedmont Com- munity Church, 400 Highland Avenue, Piedmont, on Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m., fol- lowed by a reception at the Pied- mont Community Center. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial dona- tions be made to any of the fol- lowing organizations: Piedmont High School Music and Per- forming Arts Department, In memory of Hunter McCreary, 800 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont 94611 ATTN: Jan D’Annunzio; Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bel- levue Avenue, Oakland 94610; Piedmont Council, Boy Scouts of America, 10 Highland Way, Piedmont 94611; UC Regents- Cal Band, 72 Cesar Chavez Stu- dent Center, MC 4280, Berkeley 94705-4280 (GO BEARS!); or a charity of your choice. OBITUARY Voice of Piedmont fades: Hunter McCreary dies September 22 Lifelong Piedmont native was well-loved parade, football game announcer Photo by Paul Bailey-Gates Hunter McCreary, the quintessential parade announcer during the 2008 Piedmont 4th of July Parade. Hunter McCreary at age 4. Hunter McCreary (2nd from left) attains the rank of Eagle Scout as a Sophomore at Piedmont High in a ceremony directed by Henry Thomas (right). Hunter McCreary as a student at UC Berkeley in 1957. Hunter McCreary with 4th of July Parade head Carla Betts. Susan and Hunter McCreary celebrating their 50th anniversary. The McCreary family at the 2011 Piedmont 4th of July Parade: Bobby (left) Susan, Hunter and Catey.
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Since many of you are asking and no longer live here...Dad's Obit from the Piedmont Post. 9/28/2011Thank you, Gray!
Transcript of McCreary_Obit Piedmont Post
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 21
Hunter McCreary, the Voice of Piedmont, died unexpectedly on September 22 of complica-tions resulting from a leg infec-tion. A lifelong resident of Pied-mont. Robert Hunter McCreary III was born on November 22, 1937, the son of Robert Hunter McCreary, Jr. and Carolyn-Lou-
ise (Pratt) McCreary. He attend-ed Wildwood School, Piedmont Junior High School, and gradu-ated from Piedmont High School in 1955,
He graduated from Cal with a BA in History in the Class of
1959, and was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Following gradu-ation, he served on active duty with the Air Force for four years, at-taining the rank of Captain.
Returning to the Bay Area, Hunter worked as a buyer for the Emporium for eight years, was the manager of American Drap-eries’ retail out-lets for five years, then bought and operated Dime & Dollar on Lake-shore Avenue for 14 years until it closed in 1992.
He loved run-ning that store, and was often called the Mayor of Lakeshore. The store allowed him to remain ac-
tive in community endeavors throughout the week while af-fording him a constant flow of information and conversation to keep his finger on the pulse of everything. His window displays were always a draw, especially at Halloween.
Hunter became known as
the Voice of Piedmont for more than 20 years as the stadium an-nouncer for the Piedmont High-landers football games. He an-nounced the annual Fourth of July Parade starting back in the
‘70s and including this year’s parade. He even played Santa Claus at Piedmont’s annual tree lighting ceremony, and a jollier laugh you will never hear.
Hunter was a leader and member of many organizations over the last 40 years: He was President of the Wildwood Dads’ Club, President of CHIME (Citi-zens Highly Interested in Mu-sic Education), a member of the Board of the Millennium High School, member of the Board and Advisory Committee of the Piedmont Boy Scout Council, Assistant Scout Master for Troop 15, and Advisor to the Order of the Arrow. He served on the Al-ameda County Grand Jury for three years, was a member of the Board of Lakeshore Merchants’ Association, was a judge for the annual Lakeshore Avenue Easter Parade, was President and Secre-tary of the Grand Lake Kiwanis, and this year was the Secretary of the Lake Merritt Breakfast Club.
An Eagle Scout as a high school sophomore, Hunter as an adult was honored with the Sil-ver Beaver Award – scouting’s highest honor – and the Harry M. Thomas Scout to Scouter Award from the Piedmont Council. His proudest Scouting achievement was presenting the Eagle Award to his son Bobby in 1977.
With his booming voice and ease with a microphone in his hand, Hunter was a frequent auctioneer at charity benefits and was delighted to make himself available to help in any capacity when asked. In recent years, he thoroughly enjoyed driving the Schoolmates van for the Pied-mont Recreation Department, where he was known by chil-dren (many of whom are chil-dren or grandchildren of long-time friends) as “Mr. Hunter.” He never missed a single theater performance or ballgame of ei-ther of his two children.
He passed on to others many things: his love of music and sports, his passion for all things Cal, his gift of gab, and his abil-ity to string together words of the four-letter variety in very creative ways.
In 1980, with no real stage experience but a lifetime love of musical theater, he was invited by Austin Tichenor to play the part of Dr. Josiah Bartlett in the musical 1776. This was followed by three years of performances with Piedmont Community The-ater, spearheaded by Brad How-ard, John Cullom, Bruce Turner and Jeff Rowlings. This led to the founding of Piedmont Light Opera Theater (PLOT) with Alan Harvey in 1984.
Over the next 19 years, he produced one musical each sum-mer, and was rewarded with
seeing his effort become a popular part of the community, drawing performers and audi-ences from around the greater Bay Area.
He was proud to have per-formed in every production, once only as an offstage voice. He particularly enjoyed the roles of President Roosevelt in Annie, Old Joe in Damn Yankees, La-zar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof, Horace Vander Gelder in Hello,
Dolly!, twice as Mayor Shinn in The Music Man, and King Sex-timus The Silent in Once Upon a Mattress – obviously his most difficult role.
Hunter is predeceased by his parents, Robert Hunter McCrea-ry, Jr. and Carolyn-Louise Pratt McCreary. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Susan Lankenau
McCreary, his son Robert Hunter McCreary IV, his daughter Cath-erine Forrest (Catey) McCreary, his son-in-law Darell Breedlove, his step-grandson James Breed-love, his granddaughter Abigail Grace Breedlove, and his loyal beagle Peanut.
He is also survived by a first cousin in Illinois and Susan’s mother, sister, brother-in-law, six nieces and nephews and six grandnieces and -nephews, all of whom he loved very much.
A celebration of Hunter’s life
will be held at Piedmont Com-munity Church, 400 Highland Avenue, Piedmont, on Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 p.m., fol-lowed by a reception at the Pied-mont Community Center.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial dona-tions be made to any of the fol-lowing organizations: Piedmont
High School Music and Per-forming Arts Department, In memory of Hunter McCreary, 800 Magnolia Avenue, Piedmont 94611 ATTN: Jan D’Annunzio; Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bel-levue Avenue, Oakland 94610; Piedmont Council, Boy Scouts of America, 10 Highland Way, Piedmont 94611; UC Regents-Cal Band, 72 Cesar Chavez Stu-dent Center, MC 4280, Berkeley 94705-4280 (GO BEARS!); or a charity of your choice.
OBITUARY
Voice of Piedmont fades: Hunter McCreary dies September 22Lifelong Piedmont native was well-loved parade, football game announcer
Photo by Paul Bailey-GatesHunter McCreary, the quintessential parade announcer during the 2008 Piedmont 4th of July Parade.
Hunter McCreary at age 4.
Hunter McCreary (2nd from left) attains the rank of Eagle Scout as a Sophomore at Piedmont High in a ceremony directed by Henry Thomas (right).
Hunter McCreary as a student at UC Berkeley in 1957.
Hunter McCreary with 4th of July Parade head Carla Betts.
Susan and Hunter McCreary celebrating their 50th anniversary.
The McCreary family at the 2011 Piedmont 4th of July Parade: Bobby (left) Susan, Hunter and Catey.
