Bernie Gunter

Bernie Gunter, 89, of Canfield, passed away on January 31 at Hospice House in Boardman surrounded by family and friends. He was born in Pineville, West Virginia, son of Clayton and Lulu (Halsey) Gunter. He grew up in Mullensville, West Virginia, on the Guyandotte River. He was a nature enthusiast, traversing the mountains and fishing the river from a young age, and will be remembered as a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, businessman and servant of his community.

He graduated from Pineville High School in 1951 as the Valedictorian and Class President, and remained loyal to his school and his classmates, attending every annual class reunion up until the last few years of his life. He worked in the coal mines for a short while before enlisting in the army in 1952. In 1953 he married his high school sweetheart Frances. In 1954 he mustered out of the army as a Sergeant. He attended Concord College in Athens, West Virginia, on the G.I. Bill, graduating with a Bachelor Degree and, subsequently, had a successful 39-year career with the Social Security Administration, retiring in 1995 as District Manager in Youngstown, Ohio.

Bernie believed in the value of public service and throughout his life served as the President of Kiwanis, President of the PTA, and the President of the Area Agency on Aging, where he participated in a coalition for eldercare to develop the Ohio Eldercare Initiative. He received numerous awards for excellence in service, including Manager of the Year from the Jaycees.

He also loved nature. Vacations were spent camping and some of his fondest memories were those made with his fishing buddies. He took daily walks in the woods, and loved to plant trees, gardens, and flowers. When people visited his home, they felt like they were in a park. He was always welcoming, kind and generous and was known as a man of great integrity and honesty who loved his family and friends and showed it in ways too numerous to count.

Bernie is preceded in death by his parents, brother Walt; sister Bonne, and son David. He is survived by his wife, the former Frances Bane, with whom he shared 70 loving years. He leaves to cherish his memories, his daughter, Attorney Debra Gunter Weaver (and Jan Pentz) of Youngstown; Barbara Gunter Bröndum (and Professor Lars Bröndum) of Stockholm, Sweden; his grandsons, Derek Weaver (and Priscila), Daniel Weaver (and Ivy Sesaldo), Dylan Weaver, Krister Bröndum (and Hannah Shanberg), Eric Bröndum; and his great grandchildren, Preston, Harper, Elliot, and Ethan Weaver, and Ben Bröndum-Shanberg.

The family will receive relatives and friends February 11, 2023 at 1:00 PM at Lane Funeral Home located at 65 N. Broad Street, Canfield, OH. The service will follow at Lane Canfield Chapel at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Hospice of the Valley, 9803 Sharrott Road, Youngstown, OH 44514 or Treez Please Inc. (501(c) (3) at 1330 Wick Ave. Youngstown, OH 44505.