Melvina M. Bunkers

Melvina M. Bunkers, 86, of Dell Rapids died Monday, August 17, 2009 at the Avera Heart Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 2:00 PM Thursday, August 20, 2009 at St. Mary Catholic Church in Dell Rapids. Burial will be in the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.

A closed casket visitation for the public will begin at 6:00 PM Wednesday with a Wake Service at 7:00 PM at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Dell Rapids.

Melvina was born May 18, 1923 near Valley Springs to parents Arnold and Gertrude (Schreurs) Dubbelde. She moved with her parents to a farm southeast of Garretson where she grew up and attended country school.

Melvina married Magnus John Bunkers October 8, 1940 in Garretson. They lived east of Sherman before moving to the Dell Rapids area in 1958. They moved into Dell Rapids in 1975. Melvina worked at St. Mary School as a housekeeper and aid. She also worked in home health care for five years and sold Tupperware for many years. Most of her time was spent raising her 13 children and taking lunch to the men in the field. She enjoyed playing Bingo in the area communities. Magnus died October 28, 1987.

Grateful for having shared her life are six sons, Steven (Nila) Bunkers, Dell Rapids; Stan Bunkers, Sioux Falls; Paul (Karen) Bunkers, Renner; Donald (Jackie) Bunkers, Baltic; John (Dawne) Bunkers, Fairfax, MN; Jeff (Diane) Bunkers, Dell Rapids; six daughters; Sharon (Jerry) Elsinger, Dell Rapids; Shirley (Jim) Wolles, Dell Rapids; Jan (Hugh) Grogan, Sioux Falls; Sue (Whitey) Klein, Dell Rapids; Denise Myre, Dell Rapids; Ann (John) Myre, Sherman; a daughter in law, Cindy Bunkers, Sioux Falls; 42 grandchildren; 73 great grandchildren; one great great grandson; a sister, Florence Bissell, New Mexico; many other relatives and special friends.

Melvina was preceded in death by her husband, a son Phillip; 2 great grandsons; son in law, Doug Myre; two brothers, Merlin and Irvin Dubbelde; four sisters, Pauline Johnson, Adeline Bornhoft, Mildred and Martha Pierrett.