Dr. R. Bruce Dunker

Dr. R. Bruce Dunker, 80, of Mason City, IA, died Sunday, January 28, 2018, at Mercy Medical Center - North Iowa in Mason City, surrounded by his wife of 57 years and other family members.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, February 17, 2018, at First Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce St. with Rev. Paul Collier officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 P.M., Friday, February 16, 2018 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N Pennsylvania Ave.

Inurnment will take place at a later date in Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery, Des Moines, IA.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the First Presbyterian Church, 100 S. Pierce St. or Hospice of North Iowa, 232 2nd St SE.

Bruce was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, the oldest son of Richard William Dunker and Rowena Elsie DePue. He grew up in Des Moines and graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1956. He received a BS from Drake University in 1960 and attended medical school at the University of Iowa as part of the Senior Medical School Program. Upon graduation, he served in the US Army in hospitals in San Francisco, CA, Lawton, OK, San Antonio, TX, and Stuttgart, Germany. Bruce and Judy met at Drake and were married on June 25, 1961. She was by his side at each of his military assignments and the two took advantage of the time to visit many of the farthest reaches of the world. A lifetime of travels took them to six continents.

A long practicing North Iowa OB/GYN, Bruce leaves a beautiful legacy—having delivered more than 10,000 babies (and one puppy) over the course of an illustrious career. In addition to being passionate about medicine, Bruce was a dedicated family man who loved international and U.S. travel, riding RAGBRAI, golf, a great meal and conversation, and most of all playing cards with as many people, and as often, as possible. He was often the winner (and always in pursuit of) the family Liverpool Rummy and Cribbage trophies. That competitive spirit is part of what kept him battling through numerous health issues in recent years.

Bruce joined the Park Clinic in Mason City in 1973 which later became part of the Mercy Clinic System. He taught and practiced OB/GYN medicine until his retirement in 2000. He and Judy, a nurse, spent a number of their post-retirement years serving on medical missions in the Marshall Islands as part of Mercy International. Bruce also gave his time and energy to Boy Scouts, Salvation Army, the Lions Clubs, and many hospital committees.

Feeling the absence of his presence most, are wife Judy (Wyatt) Dunker, four children Lisa (Gregg) Shivers, White Stone, VA., Tyler (Jessica) Dunker, Des Moines, Jill Boswell, Santa Rosa Beach, Fl. and Stephen (Ava) Dunker, Wilmington, NC, as well as 11 grandchildren, a brother Brian (Coleen) Dunker of Des Moines and a niece and nephew.