Dr. Owen Hunter Draper, age 76, of Northport passed away July 3, 2012, at Northport Medical Center-DCH. Graveside services were held 10 a.m. Friday, July 6, 2012, at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with the Reverend Mark Parris officiating and Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing.

He was preceded in death by his father, Owen Draper, and mother, Effie Curry Draper

He is survived by his first cousins, Carol Curry Robertson and John E. Curry (Jane); and many other second and third cousins. Also surviving and special recognition goes to his caregiver, Anthony Porter (wife Latandra and son Christopher). Anthony was like a son to him for more than 15 years.

Hunter grew up in Montgomery, Alabama with his mother having to raise him without his father, who died when Hunter was four. He attended school there graduating from Sidney Lanier High School in 1954.

He received his bachelor's degree at Howard College, now Samford University. He attained his master's degree in history at The University of Alabama, where he also studied organ under the late Dr. Hutton. He would later play the organ at the First Baptist Church of Charleston, S.C. After attaining his master's degree, he accepted a position teaching history at Jefferson Davis College in Brewton, Alabama. After several years there, he returned to the University of Alabama where he received his Doctorate in Education.

Following graduation, he was hired by the Charleston, South Carolina combined city/county school system as the coordinator of all middle school social studies curriculum. One of his colleagues there commented that the system should have erected a statue of him for all the progress he brought to the system.

Because of illness, Dr. Draper retired after 20 years of service and moved to Tuscaloosa to be near to his family. Hunter was a kind, generous, and loving person who loved buying clothes for all his youngest cousins. He was a fine Christian man who loved the Lord. In his final days he enjoyed singing “Jesus Loves Me” and “Amazing Grace” to all who would listen.

Pallbearers were Tony Brown, John Curry Jr., John Robertson, Curry Robertson, Will Robertson, and Anthony Porter.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Published in Tuscaloosa News from July 6 to July 7, 2012