Longtime NIRSA member and distinguished leader in the campus recreation profession Eric Delmar Hunter, 67, of Tampa, FL, passed away at his home on April 4, 2022. The NIRSA Region II community and the University of South Florida—where he spent most of his professional career—will miss him greatly.

See related: Eric D. Hunter: January 21, 1955 to April 4, 2022

Born in South Bend, Indiana to Patricia and Richard Hunter on January 21, 1955, Eric married his wife Darcy Abel on July 19, 1980, in Winter Park, Florida. He was a devoted father and grandfather to his children Dustin and Carly and his five grandchildren.

Eric was a proud graduate of the University of South Florida and the University of Southern Mississippi. Upon graduation, he worked at Texas A&M University and the University of West Florida, before an extended tenure at the University of South Florida, where he served as Associate Director and, eventually, Director of Campus Recreation.

Eric first joined NIRSA in 1977 and was an active member until his retirement in 2019. Under Eric’s leadership, USF hosted many NIRSA-sponsored events, including the 2009 and 2010 National Flag Football Championships, the 2010 NIRSA Region II Conference, and the 2016 Florida Summit. He also served as the co-chair of the 2012 NIRSA Annual Conference & Campus Rec and Wellbeing Expo in Tampa and as a member of the NIRSA Championship Series Flag Football Championship staff in 2011.

Eric was honored in 2014 as the recipient of the NIRSA Regional Award of Merit for Region II. Throughout his career, Eric was an advocate for expanding outdoor recreation programs on campus. He started the Outdoor Recreation program at USF and served back-to-back terms on the NIRSA Outdoor Recreation committee.

“Eric’s impact will be felt for years to come,” says Jason Darby, NIRSA Region II Representative. “His presence was not only instrumental at USF, but evident throughout his influential leadership and willingness to step up within our region and association whenever needed.”

A celebration of life will be held in honor of Eric on Saturday, April 30, from 3:00pm-5:00pm in the USF Recreation Center, East Gym. The service will be livestreamed at www.usf.edu/hunter-service.

The Eric D. Hunter Memorial Fund has been established through the USF Foundation. This fund, which the University hopes to grow to endowment level, will support the operational needs of the USF Recreation and Wellness department, with an emphasis on supporting student travel to professional development opportunities.