James Alfred Gunter, 80

MARYDEL - God called James Alfred Gunter, of Marydel, home Wednesday, April 1, 2009, with his loving family by his side, after a long life and a short illness of two months. He was 80. Mr. Gunter was born Dec. 3, 1928, in Marydel, to the late Eugene Franklin Gunter and Mary Saunders Groome Gunter. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Mr. Gunter had worked as a mechanic and equipment operator for several local businesses, Teal Construction, George & Lynch, Daisy Construction, Delaware Cranberry Farm and Independent Disposal Service. He owned and operated Gunter Construction Co. LLC since August 1974. He worked every day until Feb. 2 of this year. Mr. Gunter was a member of the Southside Baptist Church and the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, a life member of the Hartly Fire Department, American Legion Walter L. Fox Post 2 and the Veterans of Foreign War. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his siblings, Eugene, William, Bernard, Marion Gunter, Virginia Deer, Julia Burris and Eva Gunter. Mr. Gunter is survived by his wife of 42 years, Helen M. Farley Gunter of Marydel; his son, Eugene F. Gunter and his wife Kim of Marydel; his daughter, Mary Carpenter and her husband Jeff of Felton; two brothers, John and Philip Gunter, both of Marydel; and three grandchildren, Rodney Simons, Bret, and Samantha Carpenter. Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Tuesday April 7, at Torbert Funeral Chapel South, 1145 E. Lebanon Road, Dover. Friends may call Monday evening from 6-8 p.m. Interment will be in Templeville Cemetery, Templeville. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to Templeville Community Church Building Fund, P.O. Box 27, Templeville, MD 21670-0127; Delaware Hospice, 911 S. Dupont Highway Dover, DE 19904; or Hartly Volunteer Fire Company, P.O. Box 28, Hartly, DE 19953. Letters of condolence may be sent, and guestbook signed at www.torbertfuneral.com.