Front Page News
September 7, 2011
Barnstead Citizen of the Year
This year’s Citizen of the Year award went to Mr. Roland “Bunk”
Bunker.
Bunk was born and raised in Barnstead. He attended
Bickford Grammar School for the first grade and then finished his
elementary education at the Parade School. He graduated from
Pittsfield High School in 1940.
During WWII, Bunk flew submarine patrol from Virginia, up and
down the Florida coast, from Cuba to Texas and many coasts
in-between. He was a flight engineer on bombers (B24s) and
flew in the European campaign, out of Italy. After active
duty, he joined the Air Force Reserves and was discharged in 1988 as
a Senior Master Sergeant. He considered his time in the
military, not only his duty, but an honor to serve his country.
After the war, he worked at the Del Pelissier Garage in
Pittsfield and worked there for eleven years doing anything or
fixing everything that was asked of him. Bunk was very handy
at fixing machines and was called often by local, and not so local,
farmers to fix their balers. Since this occurred for many
years after his retirement, Bunk never really retired.
Bunk has been very active in the Barnstead community. He
was President of the Parade Cemetery and served on the Planning
Board for many, many years. Every Election Day, you can see
Bunk at the Town Hall fulfilling his duty as ‘Keeper of the Gate’.
When
talking or writing about Bunk, the words duty and honor are
frequently mentioned. He is, indeed a very honorable person.
It is Barnstead’s honor to name him as our Citizen of the Year.
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