Donald “Don” Hunt, 85, of Knoxville, passed away at home surrounded by his family on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Knoxville. Interment will be at the Greenwood Cemetery following the service, everyone is invited to return to the funeral home for a luncheon to celebrate Don’s life.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 24th, from 4:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Knoxville. Memorials in Don’s name may be made to the Riverside Community Church, Church of Christ, or Suncrest Hospice.
Don was born on July 13, 1941, the youngest of five children born to James and Myrtle Hunt. He grew up in the Knoxville area, attending both Dallas schools and Knoxville High School. As a young adult, he helped out on a couple farms in the area before getting a job with the Lake Red Rock Project where he helped construct the Mile Long Bridge and the Red Rock Dam. He enjoyed being part of that project and took pride in seeing both structures over the years. Don then began working at Maytag, where he built a career that spanned 31 years before retiring in 1996.
On June 30, 1968, Don married the love of his life, Norma Priaulx. Together they shared 58 wonderful years of marriage and built a family that was always at the center of Don’s life. He was first and foremost a husband and a father. He rarely missed his children’s activities and loved being involved in whatever interested them. As a family, they enjoyed annual family vacations and always had a camper parked at a nearby campground for weekend getways. Don was naturally curious and always eager to learn something new. When Scott became interested in bicycles and derby racing, Don jumped right in alongside him. He also loved following Kimberly’s marching band activities and had a lifelong appreciation for music, especially big bands and 1950s rock and roll.
Don’s interests were many—Norma affectionately referred to them as his “extreme hobbies.” From space exploration and science fiction to horses and motorcycles, he embraced each one wholeheartedly. His workshop and garage were meticulously organized and became the setting for countless restoration projects. He loved rescuing classic cars from fence rows and bringing them back to life, often making them even better than new. Don also enjoyed keeping up with the latest technology and had plenty of fun experimenting with Alexa when it was first introduced. Woodworking and carpentry were other passions, and he used those talents to remodel his home, build furniture, and fix just about anything that needed attention.
His faith was an important part of his life. Don faithfully served his church as both an elder and a deacon and generously volunteered his time and talents on many church projects.
Don and his family were especially appreciative of the staff at Suncrest Hospice for their guidance and care over the last 6 months.
They also wanted to express their appreciation to Heather Hennefeld of Home Instead for the wonderful care and support to both Don and Norma for the past two years. She had a special way with Don and was always able to bring joy and laughter into their home.
Left to cherish Don’s memory are his wife, Norma; his children, Scott (Mishelle) Hunt and Kimberly Hunt; his grandson, Joshua Nally; great-grandchildren, Jaqulynn and Katie; his sister, Viola Mason; his sister-in-law, Shirley Hunt; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, James and Myrtle Hunt; his brothers and sisters, Robert Hunt, Twylia (Robert) Taggart, and Lorraine (John) May; and his brother-in-law, Dennis Mason.