Hunter Grumbles

Hunter Allen Grumbles died Friday, April 12, 2019 at The Oakes at WG in Raleigh, NC after a brief illness.                 Hunter was born in Richmond, VA on November 30, 1923, a son of the late Atna Vanoy Grumbles and Lillian Kidd Grumbles.                He was educated in the Richmond public schools and was a graduate of John Marshall High School in 1941. He was a graduate of Randolph-Macon College in Ashland in 1949.  In 1952 he received Master’s degree from the Graduate School of Hospital Administration-Medical College of Virginia.  Hunter was a veteran of The United States Navy serving from January 1943 to March 1946.  Following Navy schools he served on Escort Aircraft Carrier in South West Pacific, principally in three invasions of the Philippines.                Following Graduate school he served as Administrator of Stonewall Jackson Hospital in Lexington from 1952 to 1967.  Then he was employed as Administrator of The Memorial Hospital in Danville where he served through many changes during the twenty-two years from 1967-1989. He led the hospital through three major additions, two name changes, the purchase and early development of Stratford College property, the development of Stratford House and reorganization of the corporate structure.  Realizing that he was part of a major restructuring of the nation’s health care industry, he led the hospital into regional and national organizations that continue to be an essential part of their support system.  He led the hospital to join the S. E. Regional Hospital organization, Sun Alliance, The Hospital Data Center of Virginia and the Virginia Insurance Reciprocal.  For more than ten years he served as Chairman of the Virginia Hospital Rate Review Program.                He served the Virginia Hospital Association in many capacities, including serving as President in 1962.  After that he became a delegate to the American Hospital Association and was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees 1968-1971.  He served the Commonwealth of Virginia Commissions by Governors Mills Godwin and John Dalton 1967-1973.  He is a life member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.                Hunter was an active member of First Baptist Church in Danville, VA for more than fifty years.  He remains a non-resident member and is a trustee-emeritus of the church.  He was an active member of the Rotary Club for 63 years.  After serving fifty years in the Danville club he was made an honorary member of the club.                 In late 2017 Hunter moved to a retirement home in Cary, NC where most of his family lives.                He was preceded in death by his wife of sixty-five years, Katherine Eley Grumbles and his brothers Neville Grumbles and Karl Grumbles.                He is survived by his sisters Constance Buchanan and Mary Phillips, daughters Dayle G. Welch and husband, Jimmy, and Kathy G. Taylor and husband Lee.  Grandchildren Kevin Welch and wife, Renee, Meredith Fensler and husband, Trent and Virginia Winstead.  Great-grandchildren Hunter Welch, Lilly Welch, Sara Fensler, Will Fensler, Marie Fensler, Jacob Fensler, Josh Fensler, and Anna Fensler.                Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at 11 A.M. from First Baptist Church with the Reverend John Carrol officiating.  Interment will follow in Mountain View Cemetery.                The family will receive friends at the church on Tuesday from 9:45 to 10:45 A.M.                Townes Funeral Home and Crematory, 215 West Main Street is serving the Grumbles family.  Online condolences may be directed to www.townesfuneralhome.com.