Greta Frances Hunt, a longtime resident and real estate icon in Pacific Palisades, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends, on August 20.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee on September 4, 1932, Greta graduated from East Nashville High School where she met and married her first husband, Carney Patterson, and went to work as a dental assistant. In the late 1950s, she relocated to Southern California with her second husband, Wesley John Hunt, and son, Patrick.
Shortly after the birth of her daughter, Donna, the family of four moved into a house on Corona del Mar overlooking the ocean in Pacific Palisades. An avid bridge player who enjoyed an active social life, Greta enjoyed gardening, tennis, decorating, sunbathing— and weekends in Palm Desert, where she eventually purchased a home on the golf course at Palm Valley Country Club.
After her marriage to Wes ended in divorce, Greta and her two children moved into a home on El Medio. She obtained her real estate license and went to work at Lelah T. Pierson Realty.
Greta was long admired not only for her tremendous success in the business she so loved, but also for her chic sense of style. Devoutly loyal to friends and clients alike, she earned the pleasure of representing generations of local families over the years.
In the 1970s, Greta met Alfred Goodyear who, at the time, was owner of Goodyear Publishing Company on Sunset in the Palisades Village. Like Greta, he was an avid tennis player. They were married for several years and despite the ultimate end of their matrimony in the 1980s, “Grandpa Al” continued to be actively involved in the lives of Greta’s children and grandchildren.
A mutual friend introduced Greta to her late husband, Kurt Meier, in the 1980s. He was the liaison engineer for Porsche in the United States. Greta could often be seen driving around town in her two-seater sports car with the infamous license plate: “O GRETA.” She accompanied Mr. Meier on business trips to the Orient and Germany where she proudly recalled, on more than one occasion, taking the wheel and driving on the autobahn.
Later in life, Greta became quite the savvy Scrabble player and held the family record for wins. She also enjoyed yoga, Sudoku, and crossword puzzles. Her true pride and joy were her four grandchildren, whom she loved with all her heart.
Known for her Southern hospitality, Greta’s presence and natural charm would always light up the room, and her door was “always open” for visitors. She was a strong woman who also had a heart of gold. Whenever a family member, friend or colleague had a problem, she would be the first one to lend a hand. A pillar of our community, she will be missed by so many.
Greta is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Paul Pekar of Pacific Palisades; son Pat Hunt and his wife Elizabeth, who live in Kauai; and four grandchildren: Chase and Spencer Pekar and Ian and Greta Hunt.
A memorial celebrating Greta’s life will be held at the Riviera Country Club on Saturday, September 7 from 4 to 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Greta’s name to the COPD Foundation (www.copdfoundation.org).
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