PINE BLUFFS – John was the eldest son of former Ambassador Ellsworth Bunker and Harriet Allen Butler, of Yonkers, N.Y. His father, a prominent Democrat, served both Republican and Democrat Administrations as an Ambassador to Argentina, Rome, India, The Organization of American States (OAS), and South Vietnam until his death in 1984. Hawkish on that war, while in Vietnam he strongly supported the war efforts of both Presidents Johnson and Nixon.

John’s mother, a bright, articulate woman from a wealthy family, saw her role in the traditional way; providing personal support for her husband, and taking part in the social life that figures prominently as an ambassador’s duties. For her, that included ensuring that the children were well brought up, developed a strong sense of right and wrong, and enjoyed a stable home life. And this was the first of the fortuitous events mentioned above, because John and his two siblings, Ellen and Sam, benefited greatly from their mother’s tutelage during their parents’ 44-year marriage. Harriet died in 1964.

The second fortuitous event was Ellsworth Bunker’s deep seated belief in public service fostered during his four years at Yale, and later passed on to his three children.

Born in Manhattan, John spent his early years there, where he attended local private schools. Later, after the family moved to Dummerston, Vermont, near Brattleboro, his parents sent him to the Putney School, a private, college-preparatory high school not far from Vermont’s border with New Hampshire. Later, as his father and grandfather had before him, his college years were also spent at Yale.

The third fortuitous event was Wyoming’s gain – of the Bunker family. John’s son, John C. Bunker, was the first to arrive. Part owner and General Manager of Brown Company, which sells New Holland farm equipment in Wheatland, John told me, “I came out here in 1983 and bought a 6000-acre ranch. My father was partners with me in that. Later he decided to retire here. In fact, if you look at his Yale yearbook, it [the caption under his photo] says his ambition was to “move west and cattle ranch.””

The fourth event was John’s acceptance of a position on the Board of Directors of the First State Bank in Wheatland. Retired as President of C&H Sugar, California’s and Hawaii’s sugar company, he was asked to serve, and he did not refuse a chance to become a part of his adopted community. He filled that post with distinction until his death after a short bout with stomach cancer. “Dad fought cancers [of various kinds] in other parts of his body on and off over the years,” young John said. “He was diagnosed with stomach cancer in December 2004, and died a few months later.”