- Date Of Birth: April 20, 1940
- Date Of Death: May 17, 2016
- State: Georgia
For Melvin Hunter, being an EMT meant dedication, loyalty, respect, suffering, pride, and enjoyment. Dedicated to providing a much-needed service, loyalty to his patients, respect for those with whom he worked, suffering from those for whom he cared, pride in his professionalism, and great enjoyment of a job he loved. For all of his adult life, he had dedicated his career to helping those in distress.
That chapter in Melvin’s life came to an end on the evening of May 17, 2016, when illness finally waged a war he could not win. While Melvin’s earthly life may have ended, his influence will go on for generations in the many lives he touched as he trained young professionals in the career for which he had such a passion. At the young age of 16, he began working at McKoon Funeral Home back in the days when the funeral home ran an ambulance service. He later worked for the Sheriff’s Department with Lamar Potts. From 1967 to 1971 he operated a private ambulance service called American Ambulance in Hapeville and College Park.
In 1971 he knew it was time to come back home to Newnan and provide that service for his community. From 1977 until 1991 Coweta County operated its own ambulance service through Coweta General Hospital. The county made the decision to have a private enterprise provide the service and thus became Vital Care – Melvin’s own creation. Those white green and yellow ambulances became a constant presence in the community for many years. One always knew that help was on the way and there would be a compassionate team on board to handle any emergency. In 1993 Melvin was named EMS Director of the Year.
Melvin was born April 20, 1940, to the late Reese Lee Hunter and Willie Ora Plant. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a grandson Luke Holloway. Melvin is survived by his wife and co-worker of 34 years Renee Moore Hunter. His children are Cathy Hunter, Lisha (Danny) Justiss, Chris Hunter, Dawn (Angie) Hunter, and Melanie (Brad) Brimlow. His grandchildren are Jennifer (David) Humphries, Joey (Lindsay) Justiss, Cameron Hunter, Katelyn Hunter, Hunter Holloway, Landon Holloway, Carson Holloway, Graham Brimlow, D. J. Harris. Melvin’s great-grandchildren are Kloie Humphries, Dalten Humphries, Walker Justiss, and Emma Rylee Justiss.
Also, surviving are his mother-in-law Sandra Horton, a special brother-in-law William (Jeanie) Moore, Sisters-in-law Carol Williamson-Jackson, and Patti Ferguson. There is a large family of nieces and nephews.
