John Alexander Hunter, 79, of Gouverneur, NY, passed away at Rochester Regional Health-St. Lawrence Region’s Gouverneur Hospital on February 28, 2026 —riding on toward the glory of heaven the way a seasoned cattleman meets the horizon, steady and sure, knowing that in the Lord he wasn’t losing anything at all, but gaining everything.
Born on October 15, 1946, in Perth, Ont., John was the son of John Kenneth Hunter and Margaret Sarah Helena (Bell) Hunter and was raised in South Elmsley (now Rideau Lakes Township). He came from generations of farmers—people rooted in the land, committed to their communities, and devoted to strengthening agriculture for those who would follow. John graduated from Smiths Falls District Collegiate Institute (Smiths Falls, Ont.) in 1964 and went on to graduate with an associate’s from Kemptville Agricultural School (Kemptville, Ont.) in 1966 where he studied in their extensive livestock husbandry and breeding programs. It was there that he developed a lifelong interest in genetics—understanding bloodlines, improving herds, and using careful, informed breeding to strengthen the future of agriculture.
John met the love of his life, Karen Euzukonis of Danvers, Mass., when she traveled north on a 4‑H exchange trip to attend Expo ’67 in Montreal. Karen stayed with his family as her host home, and what began as a simple exchange visit quickly grew into a bond clearly guided by God’s hand. The couple married on September 12, 1970, in the First Church of Danvers Congregational. The Hunters raised their two sons and twin daughters in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, grounding their home in faith, love, and steady devotion. Their life journey led them across the nation—living and working in Massachusetts, Kansas, North Carolina, Michigan, and New York—each move shaped by opportunity, prayer, and the deep‑rooted values they carried with them wherever the Lord placed them.
The couple first moved their family to Rock Island Road in Gouverneur in 1979, building a life that mattered as John devoted himself to breeding cattle and supporting local farms. In the early 1980s, he established Can‑Am Cattle Service, serving farms across the region with skill, reliability, and a deep respect for the agricultural community. During these years, John became renowned throughout the North Country—a man respected for his expertise, trusted for his honesty, and loved for the steady, good‑natured way he showed up for neighbors, farmers, and friends alike. Over the course of his career, he also worked with American Breeders Service, Eastern Artificial Insemination Cooperative Inc., Carnation Genetics and Landmark Genetics Inc., Genex Cooperative Inc. (a subsidiary of Cooperative Resources International – CRI) , and CRV, bringing his knowledge of genetics and herd improvement to countless operations. He earned many service awards and accolades for his dedication. In his later years, he found joy in working at Mapleview Dairy Farm in Madrid, NY, continuing the hands‑on work he loved and the relationships that meant so much to him.
Over the decades, John also ran a small clipper blade sharpening business, not as a pursuit of profit, but as a quiet ministry of help to local exhibitors preparing their cattle for show. He took genuine pride in using his skill to lift others up, always ready to lend a steady hand so their animals could look their very best in the ring.
John graduated with a certificate from the Fort Smith Auction School in Arkansas. He loved the energy of a good sale barn—the rapid-fire chant of the auctioneer, the ringmen calling bids, and the unmistakable rhythm of cattle moving through the ring. John enjoyed attending livestock shows and auctions across the U.S. and Canada, always eager to study good cattle and learn from the best herdsmen in the ring. Through judging contests, he encouraged youth to develop a keen eye for quality, teaching them not just what to look for, but how to explain why it mattered. John especially loved giving oral reasons—laying out the strengths he saw in a class, backing his decisions with clear examples, and helping others understand the structure, balance, and genetic potential he recognized in a herd. His judging, which included cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry, carried him to county fairs across New York State, the 4-H/FFA Hammond Fair, and into Canada. John evaluated both youth and open exhibitions, always encouraging young exhibitors while holding open‑class competitors to the highest standards of structure, balance, and soundness. John competed in Hoard’s Dairyman and other judging contests over the years, continually sharpening his own skills while passing that knowledge on to the next generation.
John loved life on Can‑Am Farm in Gouverneur, raising beef and dairy cattle, poultry, sheep, swine, and more, and proudly exhibiting his stock at the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair. He had a special passion for heritage and endangered breeds, taking deep satisfaction in seeing an animal others overlooked thrive under his careful, knowledgeable hand. His love of farming extended to the garden as well—he found peace in the soil, planting and tending vegetables to ensure his family, friends, and neighbors were well fed. Whether it was livestock or a row of green beans, John believed in nurturing life, preserving what mattered, and leaving things better than he found them.
Later in life, John enjoyed raising poultry, especially his Dominique bantams, with which he earned awards across the northeast region and at the 2018 Ohio National. He took great pride in refining the qualities of his birds, always striving for sound type, temperament, and consistency. He also devoted time to perfecting the Beltsville Small White turkeys he received from the University of Guelph strain, working carefully to preserve and improve a rare breed. John loved exhibiting at local, regional and national shows – forming friendships and supporting fellow poultry fanciers. He served proudly as trustee, vice president, and president of the Northern New York Poultry Fanciers, championing the hobby and the people who shared his passion.
John loved athletics, sensing God’s call in the discipline of track and field, the quiet focus of curling, the teamwork of hockey, and every sport that became a place where he could honor the Lord with strength, joy, and perseverance. He was a longtime fan of the St. Lawrence University Men’s Hockey Team, cheering on the Skating Saints through every season. He especially loved the crisp, familiar sound of a skate blade cutting across fresh ice—a sound that brought him right into the heart of the game. His enthusiasm ran so deep that he eventually became a Skating Saint mascot himself, bringing spirit and his trademark good humor. And just as he loved the roar of the rink, he loved the thrill of a good rodeo—the energy, the grit, the way a crowd comes alive when skill meets courage.
John gave generously of his time and talents to the community he loved. He served on the Gouverneur Central School District Agricultural Advisory Board, and supported the development of youth through 4‑H and FFA—always advocating for agriculture and the young people coming up in it. He held lifetime membership in the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair Association, where he served for many years as fair director and Beef Cattle, Poultry Show and Sheep Department Superintendent. John also had membership in the Ontario Junior Farmers Association, 4-H Canada, American Breeders Association, New York Artificial Breeders’ Cooperative Inc., Beef Cattlemen’s Association, NYS Beef Producers Association, the American Angus Association, the American Poultry Association, the American Bantam Association, the Dominique Club of America, Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Farm Bureau, and National Rifle Association. He also participated in the Skirts ’N Flirts modern dance club, the Huff ’N Puff recreational adult hockey league, and many other groups that enriched his life and community. He found deep fulfillment in driving for the Volunteer Transportation Center, offering rides, companionship, and a steady kindness to those in need.
John was an active member of the Fowler Baptist Church in Fowler, NY, where he loved singing in the choir and served faithfully in Men’s Tool Time and on the Pastoral Relations and Pulpit Supply committees. He also shared his voice during the holiday seasons as an alto with the Gouverneur Community Chorus, offering music as another expression of his faith and service.
John’s greatest joy was his family, whom he loved with a steady, wholehearted devotion that shaped every season of his life. John is survived by his wife of 55 years, Karen; his sons, John K. Hunter of Canada and Peter J. (Kathryn) Hunter of San Antonio, TX; and his twin daughters, Rachel L. Hunter of Gouverneur, NY and Sarah M. (Denam) Perera of Massena, NY. He was blessed with six grandchildren: Jay Hunter, Margaret Hunter, Esther Perera, Charles Perera, Jack Perera, and Ava Perera. He is also survived by his beloved siblings, Margaret Kelk of Portland, Ont.; Ruth (Andy) Armstrong of Smiths Falls, Ont.; the Rev. Marjorie (Darrell) Smith of Midland, Ont.; George (Anita) Hunter of Rideau Lakes Township, Ont.; and Kenneth Hunter of Montague, Ont., a sister-in-law Gail Euzukonis Almon of Danvers, Mass., along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and foster children, including Erica (Steven) Pappa of Altmar, NY and family, Cathy (Eric) Snyder of Kingston, NY and family, and many others. John was predeceased by his parents, aunts and uncles, cousins, and a brother-in-law.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John’s memory may be made to any organization of choice, including the Fowler Baptist Church, the Volunteer Transportation Center Inc., Ryan’s Wish Foundation, the Gouverneur and St. Lawrence County Fair, the Gouverneur CSD Agriculture Advisory Board/Gouverneur FFA Chapter, St. Lawrence County 4‑H, and other groups meaningful to him.
