Alvin Henry Hunter was the son of Frissell Hunter and Alease Roy Hunter and the grand-son of Palmer and Millie Wortham Hunter and was born on February 5, 1927 in Richmond, Virginia. He spent every summer until high school at his grandparent's home in Norlina, North Carolina. Graduating from Armstrong High School in 1944, he went on to receive a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia State College. On June 27, 1953, he married Dorothy Thornton, a friend of the family from the Navy Hill community and they have four children: Alvin A. (not a junior), Roy (deceased), Lori and Eric Hunter. Alvin was a good provider with a strong work ethic he passed on to his family.

From 1953 to 1978, "Al" as friends called him, was an assistant professor of Business Education and Office Administration, and Director of Duplicating and Printing Service at Virginia State University. While working at Virginia State College during the daytime, he ran a part-time printing business some evenings. During the summers between 1967 and 1969, he took Masters courses at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York studying printing, photographic, and graphic technology. In 1967, the family flew to meet him in New York, the first time Dorothy or the children had been on an air-plane. As a family, they then drove to Niagara Falls, New York, and Quebec, Canada. Alvin completed his Masters degree in Industrial Education from Virginia State College in 1973.

Tired of the one hour round trip daily commute to Virginia State University, Alvin began teaching industrial arts at Henrico High School in 1978, where we worked with the United Student Body Club. "Mr. Hunter", as the students called him, had a way with even the toughest boys and he was respected for his tough but fair approach. He retired from teaching in 1987, and turned his part-time printing shop into a full service printing business, AI Hunter, Printer, Inc. Through his at-risk high school students and the Richmond Opportunities Industrialization Center training programs, he gave persons a chance to learn important clerical and printing skills. A caring person, Alvin often hired men with prison records to give them a chance to learn new skills and turn their lives around.

Although his business responsibilities kept him extremely busy, he found time for his family members and friends, of whom there were many. He helped care for his parents and his Aunt Dorothy Morton in their declining years. In the spring and summer, he always took time from work to go fishing with a group of friends nicknamed "The Fishing Buddies". He also was an active member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., the Virginia State University Athletic Boosters Club, the Armstrong High School Class of 1944, and the Richmond Chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons. As a member of Saint Paul's Catholic Church where he raised his children, he was generous and charitable in his contributions and provided printing services to the church. Alvin had a wonderful bass voice and for a time, he sang in the choir. An excellent dancer, Alvin could keep up with the best of them.

Alvin Hunter passed away suddenly on March 17, 1994, and is buried in Oakwood Cemetery near his parents Frissell and Alease Hunter. He has four grandchildren: Tarnesha, Alvin A. Hunter, Jr., Miles, and Joshua Hunter. He has one great grandson, Sterling Norvell Wood, son of Tarnesha Hunter.

Sources: Personal knowledge, family papers