When Adam Weiner reached for the doorknob to MSU chemistry professor Paul Hunter’s office two years ago, he could feel his hand shaking.
After the death of one of his closest friends, Weiner, a packaging sophomore at the time, felt alone and turned to the one person who might understand.
“Dr. Hunter told me to pick my head up,” Weiner said. “He had a smile on his face, and in his British accent he said, ‘I’m going to be there for you.’”
At 8:18 a.m. on Wednesday, Hunter, 69, suffered a heart attack while driving west-bound on Central Park Drive near Marsh Road in Okemos. After leaving the roadway, his car struck a tree and landed in a grassy area near Meridian Mall, Meridian Township police confirmed.
Hunter was transported to Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital, but died later that morning. Officials do not believe the collision was the cause of death.
A native of Bristol, England, Hunter was known throughout the MSU community for his quick wit and approachability.
On Thursday afternoon, one day after Hunter’s death, hundreds of students gathered in room 138 of the Chemistry Building for his general chemistry class.
Amy Pollock, MSU academic specialist in the chemistry department, said she would do her best as their new professor for the rest of the semester. Pollock cancelled the afternoon class in his honor, but not without taking a moment to pay tribute to her co-worker and friend.
“Dr. Hunter was a great person — you guys all know that,” she said. “He’s going to be missed by so many people. I will definitely miss him.”
Hunter’s daughter, Kathryn Hunter, said her father — who taught chemistry at MSU for almost 40 years — had a passion for teaching and loved coming to work every day.
“He enjoyed his friends and family,” she said, choking back tears. “He loved life, he really did.”
Despite his age, Hunter had lofty goals and always pushed himself to reach new heights when exploring his passions outside the classroom.
Tim Muhich, president of the MSU Outdoors Club, said Hunter was known for his love of rock climbing and planned to celebrate his 70th birthday on Oct. 7 by climbing Doug’s Roof, a renowned climbing route in Grand Ledge, Mich., seven times. Muhich said next fall, his friends plan to complete the climbs in his honor.
“We will be there that Sunday to climb the rock,” Muhich said. “It’s something that all of his friends have decided they want to do because he wanted to do it so badly.”
Premedical freshman Joe Penegor said he never imagined Tuesday’s lecture would be the last time he would see Hunter.
“As silly as it is, I always kind of imagined Dr. Hunter as unstoppable because of how smart he was and his quick wit,” he said.
Hunter’s sarcastic sense of humor and compassion for students made complex subjects much clearer, Penegor said.
Word of Hunter’s bright demeanor spread through the hallways of the Chemistry Building and beyond.
Once mechanical engineering freshman Jeremy Ries heard about the professor’s popular lectures he left his assigned instructor to attend Hunter’s instead.
“I didn’t miss a single lecture after I started going to his,” he said. “Professor Hunter inspired me to maybe one day become as intelligent and witty as he was.”
Weiner said Hunter guided him through the hardest time of his life and despite teaching hundreds of students each day, Hunter always managed to check in with him personally from time to time throughout the next two years.
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For Weiner, losing Hunter was like losing a father figure, he said.
“He didn’t have to do what he did for me, but he did it because he cared,” he said. “Without him I wouldn’t be in the position I am today. I hope to graduate and when I do, I know he’ll be smiling from above.”
