Ingrid F. Hunter

Ingrid Jeannine Flack Hunter

There are depths of love that I cannot know

Till I cross the narrow sea;

There are heights of joy that I may not reach

Till I rest in peace with Thee.

Services for Mrs. Ingrid Jeannine Flack Hunter

Public Viewing

Saturday,  January 30, 2021 | 12Noon - 2:ooPM

Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church | 775 Hurt Road, Southwest | Smyrna, Georgia 30082
 

Virtual Memorial Service  

Monday, February 1, 2021 | 10:00AM  (The web platforms will be announced)

 Graveside Service

Monday, February 1, 2021 | 2:00PM  (Family Only)

Salisbury, North Carolina

Ingrid Jeannine Flack Hunter was born on August 4, 1948 in Washington, District of Columbia, and was the fifth child of Laron and Margaret Irene Council Flack.  She was born into and nurtured by her immediate and extended family which included her grandmother, Ailene, (“Big Mama”) and “Aunt Della”.  Ingrid’s family moved from North Carolina to the Arlington Community in Virginia, known as Nauck ( Green Valley) in the 1940’s. She was a daddy’s girl, and they often traveled on road trips between Arlington, Virginia and Asheville, North Carolina. Her Dad built her a doll house with working lights, which Ingrid kept over the years and planned to donate to the African American Art museum in Washington DC. Her Dad loved Ingrid’s long pony tail and in honor of her love for her Dad, Ingrid kept a promise to him that she would never cut her long pony tail.  Ingrid attended elementary and middle school in the Arlington, Va. Public schools.  After her Dad’s untimely death, Ingrid’s mother moved the family to Washington, DC.  

Ingrid graduated from the McKinley Technical High School in Washington DC, in 1966, where she was a majorette, a member of the Thespian Society, French Club, and the National Honor Society.  She was a known storyteller, with a tremendous sense of humor and like her grandma, she “could make a dog laugh.”   Blessed with penetrating intellect, tenacity, patience and always demonstrating maturity beyond her years, Ingrid was a prodigious believer in education, and continued her thirst for knowledge formally and informally throughout her entire life. She was the youngest of the cousins, but demonstrated independence and leadership, often persuading older cousins to follow her lead.  Ingrid was a very precocious and independent young woman.  Close friends and family remember her as being the “fast driver of a very old temperamental blue car”.  But she was cautious and safe, always respecting the rules.  

After high school, Ingrid attended the University of Maryland in College Park, where she majored in English.  With her God-given talents, excellent education and her commitment to being a lifelong learner, Ingrid navigated her early career deliberately, landing a job at IBM, when the technological hub was then located in Austin, Texas.  She originally worked as the top level administrative person assisting the highest level managers at IBM.  In a short period of time, Ingrid transitioned to an Account Systems Engineer position.   She spent two years in Austin and transferred to Georgia for a short period of time and then back home to the Washington, DC area.  She was a valued contributor to the IBM family for over twenty years, and she worked on systems design and implementation of IBM systems for the US Department of the Navy and the Joint Cruise Missiles Project.   Ingrid took early retirement from IBM and was recruited by Bell South as a Network Systems Engineer, designing data networks for large accounts such as Hewlett Packard, Nextel and Kimberly Clark.  She was known as a trouble shooter, who had the ability to address unusual technical systems issues.  In addition, she was valued because of her skills in resolving complex and difficult issues with people. She was a trusted advisor to hundreds of employees who sought her advice and counsel on a wide range of issues and concerns.  Management often sought her out as a skilled informal mediator of employee issues and concerns.

Ingrid was baptized at the tender age of four months.  In her early years, she was lovingly nurtured at Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church in Arlington where her mother, was the organist.  Being raised in a musical home, provided each of the children a beautiful and profound way of praising God through music.  Ingrid matured into a stalwart, Christian woman who lived her life according to Christian principles.  She believed in service to God, church, family, and community and always placed God first in her life and she sought His counsel in every situation.  It is therefore fitting that it was within the sphere of the A.M.E Zion Community that she met, fell in love with, and married in 1985, (then) Rev. Louis Hunter, Sr., the love of her life.  At the same time, Ingrid immediately and wholeheartedly welcomed her new role as a loving and dedicated mother to three sons, who were the absolute joy of her life.  Ingrid was a devoted and active first lady at several churches which included Shaw Temple AME Zion Church from 1992 -2004, where she was instrumental in assisting the Bishop in moving the congregation from South-West Atlanta to the 2.5 Million structure that sits on a 7.5-acre site, with 30 classrooms, a chapel, a fitness center, a computerized learning center and a charity general store which serves the local communities, many of which are distressed. She also served as First Lady at Goler Memorial AME Zion Church, Winston Salem, NC, Big Wesley AME Zion Church, Philadelphia, Pa, and Lomax AME Zion Church, her home church in Arlington, Virginia. 

 Ingrid shared her husband’s vision for his ministry and worked tirelessly by his side.  God granted the couple’s vision and Bishop Hunter was elevated to the episcopacy by the 47th Quadrennial Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church General Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina and was consecrated on August 3, 2004 as the 93rd prelate in the line of succession.  As a couple, for the next 12 years, they joyously served Zion across continents and countries and in all phases of leadership positions until retiring in 2016.  Ingrid humbly served on the Executive Board of the A.M.E. Zion Church from 2004 to 2016 as a Missionary Supervisor, Women’s Home and Overseas Missionary Society, (WH&OMS).  As a Missionary Supervisor, Ingrid was known for her creativity and innovation, and she successfully applied the skills she acquired in the business world to lead the missionaries of her assigned districts and contribute to the work of the Society.  She served the Southwestern Delta Episcopal District from 2004-2008, and also served as the Missionary Supervisor of the Mid-Atlantic One Episcopal District from 2008 to 2016.  In 2004 she shared the idea for the "WH&OMS Supply Closet for Livingstone College" with the General Secretary of Bureau of Supply and in 2008 she birthed the "Heart for Overseas Missions" program for the Life Members Department, both of which God has used to bless the Missionary Society to this day. After the unexpected passing of Bishop Roy Holmes in May 2013, Bishop Hunter became the Presiding Bishop of the Cape Fear and India Conferences and Ingrid served steadfastly at his side. 

At the time of retirement and even afterwards, Ingrid willingly mentored and supported other Missionary Supervisors in their efforts to efficiently and effectively perform their duties.  Ingrid delighted in her service to God, supporting her husband and partnering with him in Episcopal ministry.  She loved people and cherished her A.M.E. ZION Church family.  Bishop Hunter would speak affectionately of “Ing” and her immeasurable contribution to his life, their sons, and ministry. Her brilliance, resourcefulness and organizational prowess was a source of godly pride and admiration for her husband. 

Ingrid was always actively engaged in the community in which she lived.  Her community service activities included volunteer work at Talking Books for the Blind, serving as a founding member of the Austin, Texas chapter of National Council of Negro Women and spearheading community outreach through the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.   She was also a strong supporter of the Austin based Strong Family Alliance, a parent network for the support of children founded by one of her dear friends.  Within Zion, she served as a Class Leader, District Missionary President and Conference President of the Minister’s Spouses and Widows(ers). From 1992 - 2004 when she was the First Lady of Shaw Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, she founded “The Ministry of Helps”, which prepares visitors and members for the worship experience. To her joy, this ministry has been replicated by several other churches across the country.    Ingrid’s love of music always showed and as the First Lady at Shaw Temple, she used her alto voice to sing with the Shaw Temple Mass Choir. 

Ingrid had many special interests and in her leisure time, she enjoyed collecting art work and gifting it to friends, interior decorating, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.   She loved to read and started more than one book club and several prayer groups over the years.

Everyone who knew Ingrid understood that family was at the core of her existence and her beloved sons, Louis Jr., Rodney, and Kenya were the essence of her life and her world.  She loved doting on them, unwieldly supporting them, and serving as a faithful steward over their lives, guiding them into adulthood.  She treasured her role as their mother.  Like her mom, Ingrid was a “keeper of the family”. Together, Ingrid and Bishop often spoke of the joy in having raised three young men who have all become successful adults with families of their own.  The couple also enjoyed nurturing relationships with a number of God Children whom they adored and mentored as extended family.  Ingrid was known for taking many young ministers under her wing and guiding them and she regarded them as sons and daughters.

Ingrid lived her life with a spirit of generosity that she imparted to everyone that she met.  She lived with deep faith, a strong spirit and abiding love for others.  She adored not only all members of her family, but her girlfriends, extended family, godchildren and friends.  Ingrid quickly made friends when meeting new people.  Like her parents and her older siblings who guided her, Ingrid lived with dignity and character.  Ingrid also had a special place in her heart for her big sister, Roberta, who inspired and cultivated in young Ingrid the passion to be the best she could be.  Ingrid and Roberta had a very special bond that only sisters shared – characterized by compassion and faithfulness, grace and joy, and a love for music that kept them connected despite the different paths they chose.  Ingrid was Roberta’s “number one” fan, and she thoroughly supported her big sister’s career, attending Roberta’s concerts and events while always looking out for her big sister’s best interests. Ingrid would often speak about fun times as a teenager visiting Roberta at Howard University.  As a way of inspiring others, she would share her own successes and those of her Grammy Award winning sister despite their humble beginnings.  Their relationship only strengthened as the years went by, and Ingrid’s devotion to her big sister remained steadfast and true.

No obstacles turned Ingrid around or made her give up the spirt of love which God meant for her to share - not just with her family, but with all who she met. She was a true soldier in God’s army, never losing the faith, always able to read the bible and with the word of God inscribed in her heart. She believed in living a full life with no regrets and was not afraid to try new and exciting experiences. 

On Saturday afternoon, January 9, 2021, after saying goodbye to family and close friends, God opened an exquisite door that connects our dearly beloved Ingrid with the love that He meant for all of his children to share.  Until the end, Ingrid was embraced with the love of her family and close friends.  Ingrid departed this world exactly as she lived, putting her whole faith in God.

Ingrid was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bishop Louis Hunter, Sr. who left in November 2020 to prepare a place for her in Heaven, her devoted parents, Laron and Margaret Irene Flack, her brother, Leroy William Timothy Flack, her sisters, Nancy and Della LaRene Flack; brother in law Robert Lee Hunter; and sister-in-law Roxy Mae Hunter McCree.

Those left to celebrate her life and cherish her memories are sons, Rev. Louis Hunter, Jr. of North Carolina, Rodney Hunter (Linda) of Washington, DC, and Coach Kenya Hunter (Johncie) of Indiana; grandchildren, Tamieka, Jasmine, Janae, Jaylin, Jordan, Kendall, Tyler; great grandchildren, Malik, Madson, Marlee Zoe; her beloved big sister, Roberta Flack of New York; god children, Rev. Dominique Robinson, Rev. Janene Hawkins, and Rev. Jermaine Armour; sisters-in-law, Lovell Hunter Gibson, Vernice Hunter, and Gaynelle Hunter Propst (“Bobby”); immediate family members, Sharon Briggs, Carol Hovey, Elmira Warren, LaFreida Flack, Linda Glascock, Terésa Jouan de Kervénoaël, Douglas, Jemal Brown, many cherished nieces, nephews, and an extraordinary group of fabulous sisters and friends.

“by His grace”!

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