Carlton Leroy Hunt
April 12, 1938 – March 31, 2026
Carlton Leroy Hunt, 87, of Arnold, MO, passed away March 31, 2026. He was born April 12, 1938, in the green top house in Dudley, MO. After living in Dexter, MO during his teenage years, Carlton moved to St. Louis where he met the love of his life, Marilyn Jones. Carlton and Marilyn were married November 9, 1957, in a double wedding ceremony with Marilyn’s sister, Doris Ward (Jim). They were married 66 years, until Marilyn’s passing on April 2, 2024. Carlton is survived by his daughters, Tonia Howell (Greg), Carla Payne (Leonard), his grandchildren Jana Green (Nathan), Eric Howell (Ashley), Kayla Buzzard (Nic), and Jared Payne (Morgan), and his niece, Kathy Wisor, who is like a daughter to him, and Kathy’s son Brendan. He also has 6 great-grandchildren, Emily and Lydia Green, Jonathan and Anderson Howell, and Bennett and Walter Carlton Payne. He will also be missed by numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Glenn and Veona Hunt, and his brothers, Glendal, Ronnie, Wayne, and Noel.
Carlton and all of his brothers were in the grocery business, starting in the neighborhood grocery in Dudley, MO. His yearbook caption indicated that he was “the smile behind the grocery sack,” and he retired after 47 years in several roles in the grocery business, from sacker and stocker, to store manager, and finally, grocery business consultant.
Carlton and Marilyn were members of the Arnold Church of Christ since 1962, where Carlton served as an elder for almost 40 years. He dearly loved his church family, and they will miss his stories and witty sayings. He taught Bible classes and worked with the youth for many years. He loved gathering weekly with his church buddies for R.O.M.E.O.s (Retired Old Men Eating Out). He and his wife participated in several missionary campaigns and were supporters of the Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis since its inception in 1976.
Friends and family know that his favorite past time was camping. Carlton and Marilyn enjoyed camping with family and friends, notably helping to organize the O.A.K.S. Group (Older Adults “Kamping” Social) at church. Some of their family’s most precious memories are from camping, especially during “Grandkids’ Week.”
Services: Visitation at Kutis South County Chapel, 5255 Lemay Ferry Road on Friday, April 3, 5:03 to 8:30pm. Visitation will take place at Arnold Church of Christ, 2267 Scott, Arnold, on Saturday, April 4, from 10:03 am until time of service at 11:03am. Interment will be at Shepherd Hills Cemetery, Barnhart, MO. The family requests donations be made in his memory to the Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis, 11050 N. Warson Road, St. Louis, MO, 63114 or cagsl.net.