Former North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt Jr. dies at 88
Former North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt Jr., a four-term governor and longtime advocate for education and economic development, has died, according to statements from his family and state officials.
Hunt’s death was announced on Thursday by his family and state leaders. The North Carolina Department of Administration said Governor Josh Stein ordered all United States and North Carolina flags at state facilities to be lowered to half-staff beginning Friday.
“It is with deep sadness that I share the passing of my beloved daddy and hero, former Governor Jim Hunt,” Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt, his daughter, said in a statement. “He devoted his life to serving the people of North Carolina, guided by a belief that public service should expand opportunity, strengthen communities, and always put people first.”
In a separate statement, the Hunt family said James B. Hunt Jr. was “a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and public servant, whose life and work touched so many across our state.” The family said they were “thankful for the prayers and support for our family during this time.”
James Baxter Hunt Jr. served as North Carolina’s 69th governor from 1977 to 1985 and as its 71st governor from 1993 to 2001, making him the only governor in state history to serve four terms.
Hunt was widely known as an advocate for education spanning early childhood, public schools, community colleges, and universities, as well as a proponent of economic development.
He was born in Greensboro in 1937 and grew up on a farm outside Wilson. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from North Carolina State University, where he served two terms as student body president, and later received his Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“I can think of no one who shaped North Carolina’s recent successes as much as Governor Jim Hunt,” Governor Stein said. “Governor for 16 years, he was a visionary who founded Smart Start, raised teacher pay, protected air quality, and created the NC Biotech Center.”
Hunt is survived by his wife of 68 years, Carolyn Leopard Hunt; his son, James Baxter Hunt III; and his daughters Rebecca, Rachel Hunt, and Elizabeth. Rachel Hunt currently serves as North Carolina’s lieutenant governor, a position her father also once held.
The post Former North Carolina Governor James B. Hunt Jr. dies at 88 appeared first on BNO News.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
