Johnelle Terria DeBusk Hunt was born on January 4, 1932, in Heber Springs, Cleburne County, Arkansas.
She attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway before marrying Johnnie Bryan "J. B." Hunt Sr.
She cofounded J.B. Hunt Company with her husband in 1961, and in 1969 they created J.B. Hunt Transport Services. Hunt was instrumental in the growth and success of their businesses, functioning in numerous roles, including credit manager, secretary-treasurer, and corporate secretary. Hunt has served on the Harvey and Bernice Jones Eye Institute Advisory Board, the Beau Foundation Board of Directors, and the Advisory Council for the Ozark Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The Women's Foundation of Arkansas named her 2012 Woman of the Year.
#1: Composite image of early photo of Johnelle Hunt and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: Johnelle Hunt's mother, Ollie Jane Johnson (DeBusk) in her late teens
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) and her brother, David Louis DeBusk, as children
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: Young Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) with two friends
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt), 8th grade, 1946
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) as Miss Cleburn County, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) at home in Heber Springs, Arkansas, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) as a teen
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) and friends: (left to right) Patsy Joy Robbins, Wanda "Winelo" Henderson, Minnie Belle Johnson, Johnelle DeBusk, Loretta Davis, Joann Ax; Heber Springs, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) at a park in Heber Springs, Arkansas, 1949
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) with her brother, Dennis DeBusk
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: J. B. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) and J. B. Hunt sitting in an Adirondack chair
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) in a Heber Springs letter jacket with J. B. Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: J. B. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: J. B. Hunt and Johnelle DeBusk (Hunt) on Petit Jean Mountain, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: Wedding portrait of Johnelle DeBusk Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: Johnelle Hunt with members of her wedding party
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: Johnelle Hunt on her wedding day
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt with members of their wedding party
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt after the wedding ceremony in their getaway car
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: Johnie J. and Ollie Jane DeBusk, parents of Johnelle Hunt, 1953
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt's daughter, Jane Hunt, age 2
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: J. B. Hunt with his daughter, Jane Hunt, in front of their Pontiac, 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Johnelle Hunt, 1958
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#26: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt's son, Johnnie Bryan Hunt, at 5 1/2 months with a nurse
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#27: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#28: School portrait of J. B. and Johnelle Hunt's son, Johnnie Bryan Hunt Jr., September 4, 1965
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#29: Johnelle and J.B. Hunt with their son, Bryan Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#30: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt with their children, Jane and Bryan
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#31: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt at her parents' residence in Heber Springs, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#32: Johnelle Hunt's parents, Johnie J. and Ollie Jane DeBusk, at their home in Heber Springs, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#33: Johnelle Hunt with her siblings, David DeBusk and Gloria Duckworth; Heber Springs, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#34: Johnelle Hunt (left) with her sister, Gloria Duckworth (right) at a political rally for Winthrop Rockefeller
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#35: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt (center) with (on left) her mother and sister, Ollie DeBusk and Gloria Duckworth; and (on right) brother-in-law, Jack Duckworth, on their way to Spain, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#36: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt on horseback in front of a cedar barn
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#37: Johnelle Hunt (left) and her sister, Gloria Duckworth
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#38: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt talking to Governor Bill Clinton, 1979
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#39: Johnelle Hunt (from right) with Harry Ward and Hillary Clinton at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#40: Billy Davis Jr., Johnelle Hunt, Marilyn McCoo, and J. B. Hunt at the Easter Seals Awards; the Hunts were the first couple to receive the Easter Seals Arkansans of the Year award; October 1990
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#41: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#42: Johnelle Hunt with her daughter, Jane Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#43: Johnelle Hunt and her mother, Ollie Jane DeBusk, with (standing, from left) her husband, J. B. Hunt, and her brothers and sisters-in-law: Dennis and Jolene DeBusk and Wanda and David DeBusk; ca. early 1990s
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#44: Johnelle Hunt with her mother, Ollie Jane DeBusk
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#45: Johnelle Hunt on a motorcycle with her husband, J. B. Hunt, standing beside her on the driveway
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#46: Johnelle Hunt (right) with her son and daughter-in-law, Bryan and Mandy Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#47: Johnelle and J. B. Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#48: The Hunt family: Mandy Hunt, ,Johnelle Hunt, Jane Hardin, J. B. Hunt, Bill Hardin, and Bryan Hunt
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#49: J. B. and Johnelle Hunt, March 9, 2006
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#50: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with Johnelle Hunt: Rogers, Arkansas, 2011
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
