Obituary of Johanna Hunter

Funeral mass is on Wednesday, June 30 at: 11:00 a.m. C.S.T. 12:00 p.m. E.S.T. It is at St. Monica Catholic Church 9933 Midway Road, Dallas, Texas 75220 214.358.1453 The livestream can be watched at: www.youtube.com/c/stmonicacatholicchurch In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Johanna to St. Monica Catholic Church of Dallas:-358-https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=44eb7b Please dress comfortably and colorfully as Johanna would have loved. Johanna Leonora Linka Hunter was born on June 30, 1937. She gloriously entered heaven on March 17, 2021. Johanna was born in Baltimore, Maryland to Anna Leonora and Chester Alphonsus Linka. She has a younger brother, Chester Linka. Her parents were Lithuanian along with other extended relatives who immigrated to Baltimore. Johanna was raised in Baltimore and was immersed in the Lithuanian and Catholic communities. Johanna and her family spent many joyful days at Lithuanian Hall engaging in traditional dancing, eating, socializing, fluently speaking the language, and creating lifelong friends. In Baltimore, she attended St. Alphonsus Catholic Church and grade school and progressed to Seton Catholic High School. Johanna passionately loved the Chesapeake Bay and Ocean City, Maryland. Johanna became a mom and adored her four children. With her children, she was so loving, selfless, caring, creative, fun, compassionate and other words that don’t exist to describe who she was. As a Navy family, Johanna had to take care of her children alone for long periods, but always had the love and strength to make sure everything was wonderful. Some of the best times were living in Iceland and having such fun by putting her kids in a Land Rover and riding up and down the mountains, over the rocky terrain, and on the frozen lakes. Eventually, the family settled in Texas, living between Lubbock and Dallas. In 2000, Johanna’s only grandchild Luke was born. They adored each other and nothing gave her greater joy. She felt God had put Luke in her life as a gift to help her through the tragic loss of her younger son Chester in 2002 at 39 years old. Throughout her life, Johanna’s faith grew in boundless ways. In Dallas, she was part of the Catholic charismatic community, was born again and developed an even deeper relationship with Christ. She passed this deep faith on to her family. Her faith was always first in her life. She prayed every morning and every night. She loved St. Monica’s Church and its Monday Bible Study group. Even in her last years with Alzheimer’s, when recognition or speech was difficult, if Jesus or prayer were mentioned, she would open her eyes and say “Yes, that is right. That is the only thing.” In her last days, unable to speak, she said, “I know what is happening and everything will be alright. We must pray.” Johanna’s legacy was to exemplify kindness, acceptance, relying on the Lord for everything and most importantly love. She would quote this scripture and it would always cause us to place our burdens in God’s hands and rest in peace and joy, just like Johanna: This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Johanna is survived by her daughter Janet Leonora Hunter Lane and husband Jerry; son Wesley Jon Hunter; daughter Ann Darby Hunter; grandson Luke Hunter Lane. She is preceded in death by her son Chester Collin Hunter. She is survived by her brother Chester Vincent Linka, wife Belinda; nephews Eric and Brian Linka; Lithuanian cousins in Canada including, Len, Vic and Chris; nieces and nephews in Pennsylvania including, Barbara, Jim and Bill; lifelong friends in Baltimore - Ann Bateman and the Krywuckis – and in Dallas - Mimi Galvin; and countless friends that she had touched throughout her life. We praise God that she has now joined her mother, father, and precious son in heaven.