Stanley Bunyak

     Stanley "Stan" Bunyak, 95, almost a life-long resident of Sunburst, Montana, died of natural causes in Jerome, Idaho on Sunday, July 20, 2025.

     Stan was born on the Bunyak Farm on January 21, 1930 to Steven and Katherine Bunyak. He attended one-room country schools through seventh grade, which were held in the summers. For eighth grade, he went to Sweet Grass, MT and in 1947 graduated from Sweet Grass High School. In 1951, he was drafted during the Korean War, where he served two years in France and Germany in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged as a Corporal.

     Stan met the love of his life, Gladys Bianchi, of Aden, Alberta, Canada in 1954, while playing guitar at a community dance in Whitlash, MT. They dated for two and a half years and were married on February 16, 1957, a month after Gladys turned 18. They have been very happily married for over 68 years.

     Stan excelled at three things — being a loving husband, a wonderful father, and a very good farmer. The latter wasn't the career he would have chosen for himself, but instead it was chosen for him. While he was overseas, in 1952, he learned of his parents' divorce. He purchased his father's third of the Bunyak Farm and eventually purchased his mother's two thirds share as well. Together with Gladys, they expanded it to be the foundation of their lives for over 70 years. He never had hired help, so his days were spent working hard and using trucks and machinery from the 1950's and 60's. He lived modestly, died debt free, and was happy and content with what he had achieved.

     Stan "retired" in 2012 at the age of 82 after having farmed for 58 years, but he and Gladys continued to live on the farm and take care of it while the Simmes family did the actual farming until late 2023 when he and Gladys moved to Gooding, Idaho to be closer to their daughter Janis and her husband Jeff. Despite the change, he very much enjoyed looking out his living room window taking in all of the activity and the different style of farming in Idaho compared to what he was used to in Montana. For the last 40 days of his life, he was a resident at DeSano Place Assisted Living in Jerome, ID.

     Stan was a member and past president of the American Legion Border Post 73. He participated in its firing squad on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. He helped run Bingo back in the days when that was a weekly event at the Legion Hall in Sweet Grass and served at the always popular annual Wild Game Stew event. He also served on the Toole County Agricultural Stabilization Conservation (ASC) committee for 12 years in the 1960s and '70s. He was a life-time member of the Sunburst Lutheran Church and served for several years as a deacon as well as chairman of the board. He was proud of the fact that he had read the entire Bible. He taught his daughters Sunday School at home using a mail in correspondence course.

     Music was a very important part of his life. At the age of 8, he had taught himself how to play the violin, and at age 11 he formed a band with Gilbert Lozing (on guitar) and Kalman Suta (on banjo) named the "Sodbusters" that played for some dances. The big red barn on the Bunyak Farm hosted a few of these upstairs in the hayloft. Stan later taught himself to play the guitar and was a member of a band called "The Turners" from 1954-56 with Renny Turner (on drums and saxophone) and Marian Turner (on piano). He was also able to play the chord organ by ear and even at the age of 90 was able to entertain his family with his favorite songs.

     He is survived by wife Gladys; sister Delia Atkinson; daughters, Jenae (David) Heck of Gilbert, Arizona and Janis (Jeff) Faulkner of Gooding, Idaho; granddaughters Courtney Naumann of Bozeman MT, Kelly Naumann of Fort Collins, CO, grandson Ty Faulkner of Gooding, ID, granddaughter Jessy (Luke) Visser of Twin Falls, ID, and great grandson Emmett Visser. Stan is preceded in death by his parents Steven and Katherine Bunyak, brother Woodrow Bunyak, and sister Vera Dye.

     The family would like to thank Melody Fernandez, Nurse Alice, Nurse Kristi, Nurse Brian, Nurse Marie, PT Dillon, Idaho Home, Health and Hospice as well as the caring and professional staff at Desano Place for the care and support they provided him, Gladys and family. We would also like to acknowledge all of the folks back in Montana that helped Stan out in later years, you know who you all are and we thank you!

      A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 11:00 am at the Elmwood Cemetery in Gooding.  A luncheon will follow at the Elks Lodge in Gooding.

     In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to the Lutheran Church of Sunburst, Box 310, Sunburst, MT 59482 or the Gooding Senior Center, 308 Senior Ave, Gooding, ID 83330.

Funeral arrangements are under the care and direction of Demaray Funeral Service - Gooding Chapel.

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