Nevada public servant Bunker dies at age 92
Las Vegas NV Review-Journal 22Jan99
By Shaun McKinnon: Review-Journal
The first Southern Nevadan to serve in the U.S. Senate leaves a long legacy of accomplishments.

Berkely Bunker, the first Southern Nevadan to serve as a United States Senator, and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died on Thursday at the age of 92. Leaving behind a legacy rich in service he was revered by those who knew him. "He was a man who had nothing but integrity," said U.S. Senator Harry Reid, a fellow Democrat. "He was a great guy. In this era of looking closely at ploitical leaders, you could look at Berkely with a magnifying glass and he would still be the same moral, upstanding man you see without the magnifying glass."

Berkely L. Bunker was born on August l2, 1906 to Martin and Euphamie Bunker. He lived in the town of St. Thomas in the Moapa Valley, his pioneer parents had settled in 1877. When the town of St. Thomas was buried beneath the Overton arm of Lake Mead, the family moved to a farm his father bought in Lincloln County in Las Vegas. It was a small railroad town that offered amenities like electricity and indoor plumbing. "I said, this is for me, and I fell in love with the twon," Bunker said in 1988. "I've loved it ever since."

Graduating from Las Vegas Hight School in '26, he soon left for Georgia to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He returned to marry Lucille Whitehead, his seventh-grade sweetheart and borrowed $300 from her to buy a ring. "I was driving a milk truck for $75 a month and she was a clerk in the county clerk's office and made better money than I," he said in 1980. Lucille died in 1988 and Bunker later married Della Lee, a native of Panaca.

In the 1930's Bunker opened a gas station downtown and then moved on to a Texaco station at Fifth and Fremont streets. It was from this unlikely beginning that his political career began. U.S. Senator, Reid, a friend of Bunkers for many years said, "Here was an interesting guy." "He was a service station operator elected to the Legislature, a young service station operator from Las Vegas who went on to fill a spot in the United States Senate."

Bunker was elected to the Assembly in November, 1936. He won re-election twice and in 1939 was elected speaker of the Assembly. His third term was short as he was appointed to fill out the term of U.S. Senator Key Pittman, who died in 1940. Two years later he returned to Washington as a representative and in 1946 made another run at the Senate. "I wanted to serve in the Senate again because it is the difference between night and day in the Senate and the House," he said. "It's the epitome of public servie in American life." Winning the Democratic primary he lost the general election.

Returning to Las Vegas, he was hired to manage the Apache Hotel but was forced to quit because he had to work Sundays. He and his brother purchased a mortuary and built a thriving business that stands today. In 1955, he was sent back to Georgia to lead the Southern states mission for the Mormon church. He is credited with raising money to help build the Mormon temple in Las Vegas. He was known to say, "We are most blessed to have a temple here." "I'm overjoyed to have a part in raising funds for it." "This is a good life, believe me," he said in 1980. "I've enjoyed things that very few people can enjoy."

He is survived by his wife, Della, two daughters, Ann B. Harris and Loretta B. Derrick; a stepson, Dr. James Lee Richards; a step-daughter, Sharla Humphery; a sister, Ann Shipley; 22 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. He will be buried at Bunker's Eden Vale Cemetery.