Dr. David Edward “Eddie” Hunt was born in Morganton, NC on September 7, 1962. The firstborn son of Peter David and Wilma Reece Hunt, he demonstrated a passion very early on for the curiosities of the land, science fiction, hard work and helping others. He was a veracious reader and had a particular proclivity for solving challenging puzzles. The first of his family to attend college, he would become a Furman University Paladin where he cheered the sports teams on to many victories as a varsity cheerleader. The halls of Plyer still echo with antics of him and his friends. A true raconteur, he was filled with anecdotes and stories of Paladin lore not found in any written historical account of that fine institution.
Eddie earned his medical degree from the University of South Carolina. His fierce determination and stringent self-demands allowed him to earn his diploma despite being diagnosed with cancer during his first year of medical school. His illness would not deter him, and in deed, likely inspired him to find his calling in radiation oncology. He would complete his training at East Virginia Medical School before moving to Nashville to serve the community.
Dedicated and uncompromising, Eddie pursued excellence for his patients. He was an outstanding physician. His keen analytical mind and empathy for those who were suffering from an illness that he too experienced drove him to take on challenging and forsaken cases with the hope that he could give others a chance to live their lives. He was always seeking to acquire new skills and knowledge, not for a certificate or a title, but driven to understand the world and help others. His goal was not basic competency, but mastery. Eddie was never resting, but rather constantly engaged in understanding, tinkering, building, solving the puzzle in front of him just as he had done as a child. Eddie always said that his specialty in medicine chose him more than he chose it.
Eddie deeply loved his children. As much as being a physician was integral to his identity, it was his four daughters who were the true pride of his life. As important as it was to him to be a provider for them, he truly enjoyed them. Soccer matches, dance recitals, theatrical plays, art exhibitions and scholarly pursuits of his children became his hobby, his passion. From kindergarten dioramas, to sports trophies, to essays they wrote in school, Eddie curated their lives and accomplishments. You could not have anything more than a cursory conversation with him without Eddie proudly recounting the most recent endeavors of his girls. He believed deeply in them, envisioning what they would become and supported their amazing talents. Eddie would say that more than the thousands of people he may have helped as a physician, his living and lasting legacy is his four daughters and the wonderful women they have become.
On March 27, 2021, Dr. David Edward “Ed” Hunt passed away in Franklin, TN. He was 58. All the curiosities of the world he had pondered his whole life are open to him now.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Charpia Hunt; daughters, Hallee Hunt, Madi Hunt, Sydney Hunt and Lila Hunt; parents, Peter David and Wilma Reece Hunt; brother, Dr. William (Dr. Laura) Hunt; sisters, Lori (Dr. Eric) Nicely, Tracey (Jeff) Cook and Reece Hunt and other loving family members.
In remembrance of Eddie’s life, the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.
