James Derwood Bunch

Published 9:23 pm Monday, November 8, 2021

James Derwood Bunch, 91, of 3701 Adams Swamp Road, died Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, in Accordius Health at Nansemond Pointe.

Mr. Bunch was born in Nansemond County on Oct. 18, 1930, and was the son of the late James Haywood and Lula Mae Baines Bunch. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Beulah Mae Jones Bunch, by an infant daughter, Judy Bunch, and by his brother, Thomas Harold Bunch.

A retired supervisor with Vitex Packaging, where he worked for more than 30 years, he was a member of Eureka Baptist Church in Corapeake, where he had served as a deacon, as a Sunday school teacher, and was active in the Baptist Men. Another area of enjoyment included his giving through the Red Cross blood drives, where he had received a plaque recognizing his donation of more than 10 gallons of blood.

Mr. Bunch had served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War, later transferring to the Reserves and working with the Army Corps of Engineers. He attained the rank of corporal and received the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Korean Service Medal.

Surviving are two daughters, Barbara Bunch Carr (husband, Mike), of Gates, and Lori Bunch Holleman (husband, Kent), of Virginia Beach; a son, Jeffrey Derwood Bunch (wife, Mary), of Suffolk; a brother, the Rev. Kenneth Bunch, of Suffolk; five grandchildren, Jason Carr, Brittany Carr (Rusty Michael), Mallory Holleman, Ethan Bunch and Elizabeth Bunch; and his longtime special friend and companion, Martha Britt of Suffolk.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, in Eureka Baptist Church and will be conducted by Pastors David Lawson and Cameron Currin. The burial with military honors will follow in the church cemetery. Friends are invited to visit with the family at the graveside immediately following the service. With the resurgence of the Covid-19 virus in the area, masks and social distancing measures are encouraged.

Memorial contributions may be made to Eureka Baptist Church, in care of Brenda Aswell, 4565 Gates Run Road, Suffolk, VA 23438.

Miller Funeral Home, 304 Main St., Gatesville, N.C., is assisting the family with arrangements and online condolences may be made by visiting www.millerfhc.com.