Roger Dean Bunten Sr., 76, of Elizabethton, passed away Saturday, July 28, 2018, at his home after a lengthy illness.
He was a native of Carter County, born on June 5, 1942, and was the son of William McKinley Kuhn and Mary Evelyn Bunten Kuhn. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister-in-law, Judy Kuhn, who passed away July 22, 2018, and his grandparents, William Gaither and Eliza Matilda Smith Bunten.
Mr. Bunten was a member of Harmony Baptist Church. He was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He loved to watch wrestling, go fishing, and play horseshoes. He was a coach for the American Little League Luke Brummit Sport Shop Team, a coach with the Keenburg Youth Club Basketball Team and the first coach for the Keenburg Elementary School Girls Basketball Team. He was a coach and played for the North American Rayon Softball Team.
Mr. Bunten was a member of the Waldo Ohio Rescue Squad and Fire Department. He was an electrician.
He is survived by his loving wife, Cynthia Taylor Bunten; his children, Tammie and Jim Colbaugh, Roger D. Bunten Jr., Bryan K and Jo Ellen Campbell Bunten Sr., Jeffrey B. Bunten, Timothy W. Sr. and Angela Owens Bunten, and Tawnya and Jason Branch; his step-children, Kim Jones and Todd and Elizabeth Jones; 42 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; his brother, Billy Kuhn; and his mother-in-law, Helen Taylor. Several nieces, nephews and cousins also survive.
Funeral services for Roger Dean Bunten Sr. will be conducted at 7 p.m. Wednesday, August 1, at Memorial Funeral Chapel with Mr. Bob Holtsclaw, the Rev. Jerry Lyons and Chaplin Steve Spell officiating. The graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, August 2, at J. Fred Colbaugh Family Cemetery. Active pallbearers, who are requested to assemble at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, will be Roger Bunten Jr., Bryan Bunten Sr., Jeffrey Bunten, Timothy Bunten Sr., Jim Colbaugh and Jason Pearman. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. Thursday to go to the cemetery. Friends may also visit at the home of Tammie and Jim Colbaugh. Condolences may be sent to the family at our website, www.memorialfcelizabethton.com.
Memorial Funeral Chapel is serving the Bunten family.