Smith, Hunter Nathanael

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kinkdae-garden-gateHunter Nathanael Smith was born to Carol Crawford Smith and Mark Hunter Smith on September 1, 1993 in Blacksburg, Virginia, and was the older of two children. On Wednesday, December 17, 2014, in Charlottesville, Virginia, our beloved Hunter Nathanael Smith transitioned from this material life into a spiritual life.

He attended and graduated from Blacksburg High School in 2011. He continued his education at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and was on target to graduate May, 2015 with a major in Mathematics and a minor in Environmental Science. As Hunter had a love for math and science, during his college career, he was a research assistant in the photovoltaic lab and the plant pathology lab at Virginia Tech. Hunter had aspirations to travel overseas and work in the areas of environmental science and to teach in local communities.

He had a sincere heart and always wanted to save the world. Hunter was fun loving and had a kind and gentle spirit. His compassion for others led him to study many cultures and languages including Chinese, Hindi, Hebrew, and Spanish, and to adopt the cultural philosophy and theosophy of the respective cultures.

Hunter was a member of the swim club and gymnastics club, and was a lifeguard and math tutor at the University of Virginia. He placed second in the state of Virginia in years 2010 and 2011 in the Virginia High School League AA State Diving Championships. Hunter was also a Bronze Subscribing Life NAACP Youth Member. In the local chapter of the Montgomery County Youth Council, Hunter served in several officer positions and was an active member. Hunter was a recipient of the Asbury UMC Scholarship for his academic achievement for 4 years, and was a member of the church’s school and youth group.

Hunter is survived by his parents, mother, Carol Crawford Smith, father, Mark Hunter Smith; brother, Garland Smith; maternal grandparents, Elizabeth and Thomas Crawford; uncle, Steven Smith; aunt, Robin Smith; cousin Elliott Smith; aunt and uncle, Charlene and Johnny Peterson; cousins, John Peterson, James Peterson, and Joshua Peterson; as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends, including godparents, Jason and Judy Diggs, Mary Bakken, and Peter Ozolins.

A celebration of Hunter’s life will be held at St. Paul United Methodist Church, 220 West Main Street, Christiansburg, Va. on Tuesday, December 23, 2014. The family will receive visitors from 2 to 4 p.m. with a memorial service immediately following at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to Blacksburg High School in care of the Hunter Nathanael Smith Scholarship Fund.

Hunter, “You have walked among us a spirit, and your shadow has been a light upon our faces. Love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation” Khalil Gibran, The Prophet. “Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!” Shakespeare, Hamlet.