Daniel Smyre Hunter

Daniel S. Hunter of Newton died on Friday, July 22nd at Presentation Manor in Brighton. He was 84 years old. Mr. Hunter served in the US Navy aboard the Destroyer USS Brush in the Pacific during World War II. He was also a Navy veteran of the Korean War.
As a result of his work at Philco in California on the NASA Space Program, he was asked to join NASA in the late 1950’s as one of the original 8 NASA engineers. He worked on the Mercury program and was on a first name basis with the original 7 Mercury astronauts. He also served on the Gemini and Apollo Programs where he was instrumental in the successful Apollo moon landing (for which he received a citation from NASA) and the recovery of the crippled Apollo 13. He traveled worldwide with the Navy and NASA where he was responsible for setting up tracking stations for the Apollo Program. Mr. Hunter was in charge of the tracking station in Spain during the lunar landing program. He received a citation from NASA on the 40th anniversary of the moon landing or his “contribution to humanity. Mr. Hunter enjoyed travelling, reading and was an avid Red Sox fan.
He was the beloved husband of Mary E. Lyons-Hunter and the late Patricia (Harris) Hunter and the devoted father of Cindy Matz of Charlotte NC, Daniel Hunter of Raleigh NC, Anne Hunter Donato of Staunton VA, Heather Hunter of Atlanta GA, Delta Hunter of Brooklyn NY and Luke Hunter of Newton. Beloved grandfather of 9 and great grandfather of 3, he was the loving brother of Patricia Key of Sarasota FL. Son in law of Michael and Lily Lyons of Newton. Visiting hours will be held in the Eaton and Mackay Funeral Home, 465 Centre St. NEWTON CORNER on Monday July 25th from 4-8 PM, with a Service of Shared Words of Remembrance at 7 PM. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Interment private. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Hunter Scholarship Fund, c/o MGH Chelsea Health Center Administration, 151 Everett Ave, Chelsea, MA 02150.

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