Farms: Oh My Papa

This is a tribute to my father, Broadus "B.C." Bunce Bunce, Broadus Coolidge, age 89, passed away June 7, 2014, at Florida Hospital, Daytona Beach, Florida. Born Sept. 2, 1924 in Cumberland County, North Carolina, the son of Walter L. and Molcie Williams Bunce, he served in the US Army in France and Germany and received the Purple Heart. After returning from his military service, Broadus worked as a produce farmer, incorporating Bunce Brothers Farm, with three brothers, Paul, Ted and Dearl in Stedman, North Carolina. In 1966, Broadus moved to Florida, and prior to his retirement in Ocala, Florida, owned a produce farm in Greenwood Florida, a gas station and produce market in Orlando, Florida, and worked as a real estate broker and owner of Broadus Bunce Realty, in Orlando, Florida, before working for Scroggie Realty in Ocala, FL. In 1957, Broadus received a US Patent for the invention of the fluid proportioning device, which is the single handle water faucet. He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Frances, six daughters including Karol Miller of Thomasville, GA; Anita Scroggie and husband, Gene, of Ocala, FL; Cathy Yeomans and husband, Mitch, of Marianna, FL; Elaine Richardson and husband, Gary, of Ocala, FL; Marsha Eaton and husband, Gerald, of Orlando, FL and Charlene Michelman of Orlando, FL.; eighteen grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; two sisters, Ettrice Strickland of Stedman, NC and Adele Johnson of Stedman NC; two brothers, Dearl Bunce, of Lexington, NC and Randall Bunce of Columbia, SC. He is preceeded in death by both parents; three brothers, including Howard of Stedman, NC, Paul of Stedman, NC, and Ted of Stedman, NC; and three sisters, Oleta Griffin of Kernersville, NC, Van Percelli of Kernersville, NC, and Dorothy McKeithan of Fayetteville, NC. Broadus's legacy is that he loved his savior, Jesus Christ, his wife, daughters and grandchildren more than anything. He was a hard worker, always provided for his family and always held out a helping hand. He entertained his family with fishing trips, games and was a great story-teller with the ability to make you laugh and hold on to every word. As a war hero, he was shot in the shoulder by a German sniper in Saarbrucken, Germany, in WWII. As the good Samaritan that he was, he offered his coat to a freezing German soldier, who he found coatless on a street corner after the war. He was both generous, to a fault, and never knew a stranger, calling persons he met "neighbor." A strong Christian of high moral integrity and uncompromising values, he's been an example to all his children, grandchildren and to everyone he's met. He will be sorely missed.