Bernard F. Bunner

Bernard Franklin Bunner, 79, of Washington, died November 15, 2007, in the Washington Hospital. He had been in ill health since September. He was born January 15, 1928, in Washington, a son of Frederick Sevor Bunner and Thelma Cahill Bunner. Mr. Bunner attended Clark School and graduated from Washington High School in January 1947, where he was a member of the band and lettered in baseball, football, wrestling and band. During World War II, he served in the United States Army from his enlistment date of February 13, 1946, until his honorable discharge on July 8, 1947. He was a radio repairman and served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater. For his service, he was awarded the World War II Victory Medal. In 1948, he graduated from Bliss Electrical School in Washington, D.C., with an Associate’s Degree in electrical engineering. For 25 years he worked as a tester at McGraw-Edison and for more than ten years as a warehouse manager for Eickhoff Corporation. Mr. Bunner was a member of the Church of Christ, where he was baptized November 10, 1940. He enjoyed working with the youth group and took great delight in serving as chaperone and driver for many youth group rallies and mission trips. Mr. Bunner always enjoyed sports. He managed Little League Baseball teams and was instrumental in founding the Brownson House Youth Wrestling Program with Robert Sensky under the direction of Art Sandusky. In 1995, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame honored him with the Youth Service Award for his work in founding the wrestling program. Mr. Bonner was an accomplished artist. He studied at the Ad Art Institute in Pittsburgh with Christopher Lambl, who is currently an art professor at Clarion University, and with nationally renowned artist, James Sulkowski. Mr. Bunner enjoyed showing his art at various art shows in the area. At the request of a committee representing the Washington County Bureau of Tourism, he rendered a painting of the old B&O Railroad Station prior to its refurbishment as the Bureau of Tourism’s office. This painting hangs in the Bureau’s main office. Mr. Bunner’s painting “Roses and Teacup” won a merit award during the Oho Valley Art League Show in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Mr. Bunner frequently gave away copies of his paintings as gifts, saying that God had given him the talent to paint so that he could share it with others. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca E. Bush Bonner; three sons, Bernard John “BJ” Bunner, of Washington, Michael Bunner and Scott Bunner, both of Gastonia, North Carolina; one daughter, Lisa (Kevin) Rogers of Charlotte, North Carolina; six brothers, Louis, Allan, Fred, Frank, David and James; and one sister, Mildred (Ed) Henderson. He was the proud grandfather of ten grandchildren, Nathan, Gregory, Timothy, Matthew, Michael, Nick, Nicole, John, Ann Marie and Chloe. Deceased is a son, Christopher. Mr. Bunner loved each member of his family and found great joy and happiness in being with them. He will be missed by all of his family and his future daughter-in-law, Christina Danley. Friends will be received 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday in William G. Neal Funeral Homes, Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, November 19, 2007, in Church of Christ, 700 Allison Avenue, Washington, with Bob Davison officiating. Memorial donations may be made to Church of Christ, 700 Allison Avenue, Washington PA 15301, or to Citizen’s Library, 55 South College Street, Washington PA 15301.