Derek Kenneth Hunter
Derek (“Derk”) Kenneth Hunter passed away peacefully February 19, 2022, at his home in Woodside, California, surrounded by his family. Born April 25, 1931, in San Marino, California, he was the son of Kenneth and Helen Hunter. He is predeceased by his wife, Fredricka (“Dricka”) Hunter, his daughter, Antonia (“Toni”) Hunter Breck, and his brothers, Tony and Kenneth Hunter and sister Diana Roth.
Derk attended Villanova Prep in Ojai, California, and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Business Administration, where he was a member of the Sigma Alfa Epsilon Fraternity. It was at UofA that Derk met his wonderful wife of 59 years, Dricka Haswell from Dayton, Ohio.
Derk served in the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in the Presidio in San Francisco. Derk and Dricka fell in love with Northern California, ultimately settling on the mid-Peninsula, in Woodside, where they raised their four children, Toni, Helen, Deke, and David. Their Woodside home and garden was a big part of their family’s life where many wonderful memories were made.
Derk is survived by his daughter Helen and her husband Brad Miller, his son Deke and wife Lori Eschelman Hunter, his son David Hunter and his son-in-law Peter Breck. Known as “Pops” to his 10 grandchildren: Hunter and Beau Breck; Jack, Teddy and Ginny Miller; Ellie, Grace, and Derek Hunter; and Francesca and David Hunter, Jr; and his six great grandchildren. He will be forever remembered by all for his engaging storytelling and infectious sense of humor. Derk was lucky enough, after Dricka’s passing, to find happiness a second time with his partner of several years, Kingsley Jack. Derk and Kingsley shared lots of laughter and created many great memories.
Woodside and Santa Barbara were Derk’s favorite places and he was fortunate to live in both. Derk loved golf and had many great rounds and lots of laughs with his friends at Menlo Country Club, The Valley Club of Montecito, and Cypress Point. He also got involved in his communities, giving to The Boys and Girls Club, The Santa Clara Humane Society, The Parkinson’s Institute, Eastside Prep, and Pathways.
Derk enjoyed fly fishing with friends and family, and pursued the sport with vigor and enthusiasm. He fished all over the world with his favorite adventures split equally between floating on the McKenzie River in Oregon and wading in the White River at Rio Blanco Ranch in Colorado. All his grandchildren have Pops to thank for learning the joys of fly fishing. Wherever Derk was he made friends, and he cherished them all.
In 1959 Derk started his real estate development career with his partner, Roy Demmon, specializing in commercial buildings for the burgeoning technology industry. The legacy of those beginnings is carried on by his son, Deke, and grandson, Derek, in the Silicon Valley offices of Hunter Properties. In 2021 Derk received the Pioneer Award, marking 60 years of excellence in real estate development, an honor he deeply appreciated.
Derk will be laid to rest next to his wife, Dricka Hunter, in Santa Barbara. A celebration of Derk’s life will be held by the family at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Derk’s honor to The Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula:
Via Check:
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula
401 Pierce Road
Menlo Park, CA 94010
Attention: Gift in honor of Derk Hunter
To make an online gift in honor of Derk, please visit www.bgcp.org/donate or call Kathryn Yee at 650-763-6024 to pay with a credit card over the phone.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula’s Tax ID number is 94-1552134.
