Nick A. Bunting

Nick Anthony Bunting, 59, of Burr Oak, Kansas passed away June 9, 2023. He was born November 11, 1963, in Carroll, Iowa, to Gary and Luwana (Zimmerie) Bunting. In 1982, Nick graduated from Cody High School in Cody, Wyoming. He served in the United States Army for four years before graduating from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He was an Iowa State Cyclone fan for life.

Nick was united in marriage with Kelley Barnes on July 19, 2003. Kelley was Nick’s everything and it has always been apparent how very much she loved him. He was employed by the Bureau of Reclamation from 1989 until his retirement after 30 years in 2019. In 2019, while living in Billings, Montana Nick and Kelley purchased the cafe in Burr Oak and shortly thereafter moved to Burr Oak, where they did catering and special events.

On 2015, Nick, Kelley, brother-in-law, Jerry Barnes and niece, Jessica Barnes formed a competition BBQ team which they named Grate Expectations. In 2015, they received a Grand Champion award and in 2018, received a Reserve Grand Champion award. During their four-year participation in BBQ competitions, they received several other awards. They were very proud to have been invited to the Jack Daniels BBQ Competition in Tennessee. Other states that they competed in were Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Due to health issues and the Covid Pandemic, the BBQ team disbanded in 2020. However, Nick and Kelley continued to BBQ and serve food at the cafe.

Nick loved music and especially enjoyed the Vinyl Club at the Burr Oak Community Library. He was an avid reader, enjoyed telling jokes, playing cribbage and other games.

Preceding him in death were his son, Raef Bunting; his father, Gary Bunting; step-father, John Jackson; an uncle, John Zimmerle and his grandparents.

Surviving are his wife, Kelley of Burr Oak, Kansas; daughter, Raegan (Quinn) Bunting-Black of Baltimore, Maryland; his mother, Luwana Jackson of Burr Oak and Eau Clair, Wisconsin;  step-daughter, Tabitha Erickson; grandchildren, Braiden and Makaya Juarez of Burr Oak; sisters, Darci (Rhyce) Geasland of Eau Clair, Wisconsin; Brenda Anderson of Phoenix, Arizona; Brandi Bunting (Steve Thayer) of Marathon, Iowa; Bridget (John) Mauck of Council Bluffs, Iowa; brother-in-law, Jerry (Shanna) Barnes of Powell, Wyoming; niece, Jessica Barnes (Greg Manning) and their daughter, Brynlee of Burr Oak; mother-in-law, Cheryl Hillman of Burr Oak; a special aunt, Helen Zimmerle of Lincoln, Nebraska, and other aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Family graveside services were Saturday, June 17, 2023, at the Burr Oak Cemetery in Burr Oak, Kansas with Jeff Ord officiating.

A memorial fund has been established by the family for later designation.

Williams Funeral Home
241 West 4th Avenue
Red Cloud, Nebraska  68970

Phone 402-746-2500
williamsfuneralhomes@yahoo.com

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