Ruth Pereira Hunter

1938 ~ 2020

Ruth Pereira Hunter, 81, of Sandy, Utah, passed away Sunday, Sept. 20, 2020, at Spring Gardens Memory Care in Lindon UT, surrounded by family, after a battle with vascular dementia.

She was born Dec. 28, 1938, in Ocauçu, São Paulo state, Brazil, to João Pereira and Geni Diniz Junqueira. The family later moved to the towns of Marilia, and then Bauru. In 1954, she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as one of the earliest converts in Brazil. She would later graduate from Guedes de Azavedo High School.

She attended Instituto Gertulio Vargas in Bauru, SP, Brazil, where she received a bachelor's degree in accounting, then joined Brazil’s department of highways as one of the first women to work there.

She moved to the United States in 1965, living first in Pennsylvania, then New Jersey, then Idaho.

Ruth married Emerson Ricks Hunter on Jan. 22, 1966, where their marriage was solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple. They would later live in California and Utah. Ruth would continue to work in accounting or bookkeeping, most recently at the University of Utah.

Ruth enjoyed houseplants, gardening, butterflies, cooking, and Brazilian music. Survivors are her sons, Marcello Rufus (Rosemary) Hunter of Potomac Falls VA, and Appio Claudius Hunter (Ivan Morillas) of Eagle Mountain, Utah; four granddaughters, Michela (Ben) Fleshman of Houston TX, and Sydne, Noelle, and Saskia Hunter of Potomac Falls; step-grandsons Jair Morillas of Coral Springs FL, and Priamo Morillas of Eagle Mountain UT; 6 great grandchildren; brothers- or sisters-in-law Fausto Gonçalves of Bauru, Brazil; Nita Hunter of Rigby ID, and Ralph & Shirlee Hunter of Irwin ID.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sisters Yone Pereira, Maud Murback, and Cleyde Gonçalves; brothers- or sisters-in-law Donnell Hunter, Don and Iris Ricks, and Naer Murback.

Funeral services were already held for a limited group due to COVID-19 restrictions. Ashes will be interred in Fielding Memorial Park Cemetery of Idaho Falls.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to americanbrainfoundation.org.