Retired minister and missionary Merlin Hunter passed away 16 March at the age of 88. 

Merlin received his Bachelor of Arts from Northwest Nazarene College (now University) in 1953 and his Master of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary in 1955. That same year, he accepted his first pastorate in Sacramento California. 

He pastored in the Sacramento area until 1966 when he and his wife, Alice, began their missionary service in Trinidad and Tobago. The couple served there for nearly 10 years before accepting another missionary position in Israel in 1976. In 1984, they moved back to the United States and Merlin pastored several more churches in the Sacramento area until his retirement in 1997. Then, six years later, Merlin accepted another pastorate in Sacramento, where he served for 10 more years.

He is survived by his wife, Alice, and their four children, Elaine, Don, Lorraine, and Aileen.

Prayer is requested for the Hunter family.