Linda Ann St. Pierre Hunt

Linda Ann St. Pierre Hunt passed away very peacefully on May 17, 2025 at Sherman Home, Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix with her brother Raymond St. Pierre by her side. Linda courageously battled cancer for the past few years as well as other health-related challenges.

Linda’s family and friends express their heartfelt gratitude to the compassionate staff at Sherman Home for the excellent care and support they provided her. We are also deeply grateful to Rose Medical Center in Denver and St. Joseph’s Hospital for their expertise and dedication. Thank you to all the caregivers who helped us during this difficult time.

Linda was born May 21, 1948, in New Orleans, LA to Roy Joseph and Grace Costa St. Pierre. She graduated from Riverdale High School (Jefferson Parish, LA) in 1966 and then earned her RN in 1970 at Hotel Dieu School of Nursing (NOLA). This began an extraordinary 51-year career in the healthcare industry. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School.

Surviving Linda are her brother Raymond, his wife Gloria, their children: RJ (Kate), Renee Phillips (Joel), Paul (Jenny), Philip; nieces and nephews: William, Sydney, Annabel, Matilda, Julia, Meredith, Grant, and Samantha, also her brother-in-law David Hunt, nephew Brandon and many other extended family members. And she is fondly remembered by so very many cherished friends and colleagues who shared in much of her life and work. Linda was preceded in death by her parents and her husband of 52 years, William (Bill) Hunt, III and her niece Gracie.

Linda’s early nursing career took her and Bill to Denver where she thrived as a nurse, nurse supervisor, ultimately to Chief Nursing Officer for the Catholic Healthcare Initiatives hospitals in Colorado. She designed, implemented and oversaw many innovative programs, all dedicated to the needs of the patient.

In 1998 Linda and Bill moved to Phoenix, AZ where Linda was appointed the VP of Administration for St. Joseph’s Hospital (part of the then called Catholic Healthcare West -CHW system) and shortly thereafter became President. Since 2009 she has led the rebranded Dignity Health’s Southwest Division, which is anchored by 11 outstanding hospitals in Arizona and Nevada. Under her leadership, the division has grown into a respected and comprehensive health care system, which also includes numerous health care facilities, medical groups, graduate medical education, a wide range of joint ventures and community partnerships, and a team of thousands of health care professionals.

Under her guidance the hospital soon became a world-renowned academic medical institution, bringing prestige and recognition to the region. Her leadership helped to elevate Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s, an internationally recognized world leader in neurological research and care. Seeing the need for a world-class transplant program, she established the Norton Thoracic Institute, one of the nation’s leading centers for lung transplantation. She also played a critical role in the development of the Central Phoenix regional campus of the Creighton University School of Medicine.

This incredible career as a nurse, nurse leader, a hospital executive, a hospital president and finally a division president within CommonSpirit Health, one of the nation’s largest health care organizations was the business side of Linda. CommonSpirit Health was formed in 2019 by the alignment of Dignity Health and Catholic Health Initiatives. Full circle for Linda. Each step of the way, Linda used her proven capability for establishing trust and collaboration to deliver world-class health care to the community.

Linda, often described as a leader with a servant’s heart, has led with grace, purpose, and a forceful vision throughout her career. Her mission-driven devotion to improving the health of all people, especially to those who are vulnerable, while advancing social justice, has enriched the lives of thousands of individuals. She has served on several state and national commissions to shape the future of healthcare and medical education. She was a founding member of the Health System Alliance of Arizona and serves as a board member for Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance. In addition, Linda was the co-chair of Greater Phoenix Leadership’s Affordable Housing and Homelessness Committee and served as the chair of the Phoenix Forward Healthcare Leadership Council as well as a member of the Governor’s business leadership council, Arizona Zanjeros. Additionally, she served on the Arizona Commerce Authority Board, Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s Healthcare Leadership Council, Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems Administrative Board of the American Association of Medical Colleges, American Association of Medical Colleges Executive Council, Arizona Commission on Medical Education and Research, Arizona Bioscience Roadmap Steering Committee and Greater Phoenix Leadership Bioscience Task Force. Linda also represented Dignity Health in several community organizations, including the Greater Phoenix Leadership and the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.

Her work received local and national recognition from a wide spectrum of organizations. She was named one of the Top 25 Women in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine, and a Top 25 Most Admired CEOs by the Phoenix Business Journal. She was given the Transformational Leader award by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Outstanding Business Leader of the Year by the YWCA, and the Humanitarian of the Year.

Relaxation was time with friends and family, golf, tennis, skiing and recently knitting. Linda enjoyed just being at home, simple things that gave her the greatest pleasure.

A celebration of Linda’s life will be held at a date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Linda Hunt Nurse Leader Scholarship Fund at St. Joseph's Foundation: www.SupportStJosephs.org/LindaHunt, (Bulldog rescues) or a charity of your choice.

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https://www.caringbridge.org/site/87d66b37-23ac-11f0-92c3-576473ad1662 (note you must log in/register for the site).