Jan. 6, 1920 ~ Aug. 25, 2020
Lyle Bunker died August 25, 2020, at the age of 100, in Delta, Utah.
He was born January 6, 1920 as the eighth child, along with a twin sister Lillian, to Arthur and Alvina Bunker.
Lyle had four older sisters and three older brothers. He spent a lot of time in the west desert with his older brothers. They rounded up wild horses to use as work horses on the farm, hunting deer and collecting firewood for the family kitchen stove and heat. He had a lot of great friends, and did a lot of great and fun things through his school years.
Lyle was called to serve a mission in the Spanish American mission in Southern Texas and Northern Mexico. In order to go on a mission, he had to sell his favorite horse.
Upon returning from his mission, he met his future wife, Lorna Kalanquin. They were married in 1943 in the Mesa Arizona Temple. They moved to Delta, Utah, where he purchased his father’s farm, along with farms from some uncles and went into the farming business.
In the 1950s, he saw a need for a concrete business in town, so he purchased which at that time a very large, four-yard concrete mixer. Being in the farming business, he also saw the need for a better way to control water in the irrigation ditches.
Lyle investigated and became involved in the lining of concrete ditches in the Delta area. He first started with small ditches, and then doing the ditch up by the Delta cemetery. He was told it wasn't possible, but he proved he could. The ditch is four feet wide across the bottom, six feet deep and 23 feet across the top. It was poured it in one pour, with the slip form he made in his shop; the ditch is still used today.
Lyle helped develop the beach at Gunnison Bend Reservoir and poured concrete for boat unloading. In 1970, he decided to get out of the concrete business and decided to build a dairy with his sons.
The dairy they built at that time was the largest privately owned dairy in the state of Utah. After operating the dairy for a few years, it was sold and he purchased a ranch out by Ibapah, Utah with his brother, Glen.
As a kid he would go with his brothers to fish at Fish Lake. He always wanted to have a cabin over there, and in the 1980s he purchased and old cabin remodeled it into a beautiful place to stay. He enjoyed spending many hours fishing and just enjoying the beauty of the lake.
Lyle and Lorna owned a home in St. George as well, where they enjoyed the winter months after retiring. Being semi-retired, he loved to restore things from old cars, perhaps his favorite was a Daisy reaper he restored that belonged to his father. It has been displayed in a lot of county fairs and even in the 24 of July parade in Salt Lake City. Currently it is on display at the Great Basin Museum in Delta.
Lyle was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and served in many positions. He truly loved working with the Boy Scouts. He, along with his wife of almost 77 years, Lorna served for over 30 years in the Manti, New Zealand and Saint George temples.
Of all of his greatest accomplishments, perhaps his greatest, was his love of his Savior, Jesus Christ, and realization of the Atonement of the Savior.
Lyle was preceded in death by his father, Arthur; mother, Alvina; sisters Romola, Roka, Ruby, Doris, twin sister Lillian; brothers Lawrence, Glen, Kenneth and two grandsons. He is survived by his wife, Lorna; children Gayle (Donna); Gary (Marian); Beverly (Carl) Pierce; Clyde (Nan) and Sharon (Tom) Judd and 32 grandchildren and 100 great-grandchildren.
Gravesite services were held August 29 at Delta Cemetery.
