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Thompson Bunch was born on Valentine’s Day, February 14 in 1939 in Bunch, Oklahoma to Thomas Bunch and Betsy Hardbarger Bunch. He passed from this life on January 8, 2021 at the age of 81 at the Arkansas Veteran’s Home of Fayetteville, Arkansas.
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Judy of the home; daughters Teresa Bunch of Tahlequah and Betsy Rumler (husband Kevin) of Stilwell; son Wesley Bunch (companion Leisa Blossom) of Baron; grandson Paul Rumler (wife Taylor) of Stilwell; granddaughter Kasey Maxwell (husband Josh) of Stilwell; grandson Clayton Rumler (friend Taylor Galyean) of Stilwell; grandson Colton Bunch (fiancé Destini Young) of Stilwell; great-granddaughter Carleigh Maxwell of Stilwell; sister Rozenna Coulter (husband Paul, deceased) of Sallisaw; brother John Bunch of Stilwell.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas, and Betsy Bunch; brother who died as an infant; brother, Woodrow Bunch (wife Joyce Bunch of Woodall).
Thompson attended school at the South Greasy School then went to Haskell Indian Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Army in 1962 and served in the infantry and then in the 68th Armored Division as a tank driver. Loved tanks because when it was cold he didn’t have to sleep outside and he didn’t have to worry about critters crawling into his boots.
In 1965 while stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, he married Judy Wright and they lived in North Carolina until his discharge in August 1965. Following his discharge, they lived in Mount Hope, West Virginia near Judy’s parents, where they welcomed their first child, Teresa.
The family moved from West Virginia to Indiana in 1966 and lived in Indiana until 1988. In Indiana, they had 2 more children: Betsy and Wesley. While there Thompson worked at Boise Cascade for 22 years. In 1988 they moved to Stilwell and after a few temporary employments, he went to work at Baldor where he remained for 20 years, retiring at the age of 71. He always liked Baldor and said Baldor treated him good. He would likely have kept working there but an old back injury got the best of him. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2011 but still knew everyone to the end.
In October 2019 he went to live at the Arkansas Veteran’s Home of Fayetteville. After visitations were cancelled due to COVID-19 19, he became very depressed and missed his family. His decline led to his death.
Thompson is remembered as a good man with a king sized work ethic. He didn’t have hobbies like fishing or hunting. He liked to travel, but his hobby was work.
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