Marlin Duane Dunker, age 85

[Stan]

Marlin Duane Dunker, age 85, passed away peacefully at home with his loving family by his side on Nov. 18, 2012. Marlin was born on April 20, 1927 near Stapleton, Neb. to Festus and Helen (Connley) Dunker. He was the youngest of three with a sister, Ardis, and brother, Doyle. His father died when he was three.

He attended school in Hoagland and later in Arnold where he graduated in 1945. From 1946-1947 he was part of the Occupation Forces in Italy after World War II and was honorably discharged. Returning from Europe, he settled in Ontario, Ore. where his mother and stepfather (his father's older brother), John, lived. His employer, a local carpenter, began to share new Bible truths with him and thus began a lifelong love of reading his Bible. He was baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1950, a few months before his beloved mother's death in a car-train accident.

He attended Walla Walla College from 1950 -- 1955 where he met Helen Hebard ,whom he married on Aug. 3, 1952. Marlin graduated from WWC with a major in zoology and a minor in religion. His first child, Janean, was born in 1957, just weeks before the family moved from California to Maryland for him to attend the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in Baltimore. During dental school, he built a home and his son, Steven, was born in 1960. Graduating in 1961, he practiced in Maryland until 1965, when the family moved to Colorado. Settling in Estes Park, he practiced until 1980. He enjoyed hiking, jeeping, and viewing nature in and around nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. Staying connected with those he loved was very important to Marlin and he would take his little family on road trips to Nebraska, Idaho and California for regular visits with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. After nearly 30 years of marriage, his dear Helen died of a rare kidney cancer in 1982, which devastated him. He began recovery by spending lots of time with God, riding his bicycle thousands of miles, and sharing his story with those he met along the way.

Marlin soon met Susan Miller, a Christian grade school teacher from Indio, Calif., with a ten-year-old son, Ted. They were married June 10, 1983 and lived in California for awhile before moving to southwest Idaho in 1984. As he so often did throughout his life, he purchased an older home and remodeled it for his family to live in and became active in the local Seventh-day Adventist church. In 1986, they moved to Estes Park, and they started a Christian outreach shop, which was open during the summer tourist season until 1993. Open heart surgery in 1997 prevented him from practicing dentistry in the little office he had just fixed up in Estes Park. From 2004-2005, he was blessed to serve with the staff and patients at the Marillac clinic, for the needy, in Grand Junction, Colo. A second open heart surgery in December 2005 brought his dental career to an end. He and Susan enjoyed time with children and grandchildren through the years.

In April of 2006, his brother Doyle passed away. Marlin lived in Idaho the remainder of his days with trips to Wisconsin and Massachusetts as long as his health allowed, living a Godly example to everyone he met. His wife of nearly 30 years, Susan, has been by his side lovingly ministering to and being caregiver for him as his health has declined over a number of years. He patiently endured his health challenges and was very thankful to all who helped him.

Marlin loved God very much and sought to tell others of His grace, mercy, and love. He loved his family and helping others with fix-it projects, words of encouragement or cheerful phone calls. He enjoyed talking to and encouraging young people in their walk with God. He was generous, full of humor, and a tender-hearted man who shamelessly shed tears. He was a faithful member of the Seventh-day Adventist church for over 62 years.

He is survived by his wife Susan Dunker of Weiser, Idaho; daughter, Janean (Allen) Lewis, of Weiser; Steven Dunker, and his daughters Marleena and Steffani, of Weiser; and Ted (Kimberly) Dunker, and their children Hannah and Cayden, of Leominster, Mass.; his sister, Ardis Brown, of Weiser; sister-in-law, Neola Dunker, of Payette, Idaho; brother-in-law, William (Genna Lee) Hebard, Simi Valley, Calif.; mother-in-law, Adell Wutke, DePere, Wis.; brother-in-law, Dennis (Emma Jane) Wutke, Kallispell, Mon.; sister-in-law Yvonne (Fred) Haworth, DePere, Wis.; and many nieces and nephews and their families.

In lieu of flowers, you may contributions to one of the following ministries: Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA.org) 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904; Amazing Facts Christian Media Ministry (amazingfacts.org) PO Box 1058, Roseville, CA 95678-8058; or Adventist World Radio (awr.org), traveling where missionaries cannot go, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600.

The family expresses their deepest thanks to many who have been so kind and helpful through all of Marlin's medical challenges and surgeries. We would especially like to extend our appreciation for the care of the following people and agencies: Dr. Michael Adcox of Boise, Idaho; Care at Home of Fruitland, Idaho; the staff and nurses of Four Rivers Dialysis Center in Ontario, Ore.; friends and neighbors; Pastor Tomm Lemon and the Weiser Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church; Dr. Fred Stark and his medical staff of Ontario; and XL Hospice, and their team, of Payette.

Viewing was held Saturday, Nov. 24, at Thomason Funeral Home in Weiser, ID. Funeral services were Sunday, Nov. 25 at the Payette Seventh-day Adventist Church. Interment was Monday, Nov. 26 at at Hillcrest Cemetery in Weiser.