George "John" McAllister Dallas Hunt, III, 63, of Tifton passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2003, at Baptist Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. His funeral service was held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, March 21, 2003, at Tifton's First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Willie Beasley and the Rev. Billy Key officiating. Mr. Hunt was laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Jimmy Allen, Mike Turner, Joe Turner, Stan Curington, Greer Brown. Scott Ewing, Jeff Hunt and Mitch Hunt, Jr. served as pallbearers.
A native of Ashburn, Mrs. Hunt was born July 24, 1939. He owned restaurant operations, farming interests, outdoor advertising and he weas a real estate developer. He was a member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, se3rved for seven years, one as chairman of the Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism. Mr. Hunt had lived in Tifton since 1963. His parents were the late Charles Seaborn Hunt and Mary Doster Hunt.
Mr. Hunt was past president of the Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce and was instrumental in locating several major industries bringing over 1,000 new jobs to Tifton. He was a member of the Stone Mountain Memorial Association for 17 years and Chairman for nine years. During that tenure, Stone Mountain became the third largest park in the United States in terms of visitors. He originated the laser light show at the park. Appointed by Governor Zell Miller in 1997, to the Board of Regents, Regent Hunt represented the Second Congressional District. Regent Hunt attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College and the University of Georgia.
Mr. Hunt is survived by his wife, Julie Ewing Hunt of Tifton; one son and daughter-in-law, Dallas and Angie Hunt of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law Julie V. and Jamie Mann of Tifton; two brothers, Mitchell Wilcox Hunt of Tifton and Charles Seaborn Hunt, Jr. of Suwanee; one sister, Mary Doster Brown of Sycamore; and seven grandchildren, John Mann, Julie Ann Hogan, Mary Virginia Hogan, Courtney Mann, Adylain Hunt, Dallas Hunt V and Don Leeburn IV.
Memorial gifts may be made to Tifton's First United Methodist Church, 107 West 12th Street, Tifton, GA 31794; the University of Georgia Tifton Conference Center, 2360 Rainwater Road, Tifton, GA 31793; the Tiftarea YMCA, 1657 Carpenter Road South, Tifton, GA 31793; or the ABAC Foundation, 2802 Moore Highway, Tifton, GA 31793.