John David Tunstill's Obituary
John David Tunstill, age 93, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, passed away on May 23, 2024, at Countryside Assisted Living in Huntsville, Arkansas. He was born on January 8, 1931, in Buckner Community (Fayetteville), to William F. Tunstill and Ruth May Tuck Tunstill. John graduated from University High School in Fayetteville in 1949. He married Emma Lou Parsley on April 18, 1958. John was employed at Standard Register for 35 years as a maintenance man/machinist.
John enjoyed many pastimes including raising Black Angus cattle, gardening unusual crops and flowers, whittling and giving away animal figurines, attending Bluegrass shows, and raising award winning show chickens. He was a Judge Emeritus for the American Bantam Association (ABA) and the American Poultry Association (APA). He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 from the APA.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Emma Lou; parents; and brother, Robert W. Tunstill.
John is survived by his son, Stanley Tunstill and wife Sue of Fayetteville; daughters, Glenda Lee and husband Patrick of Greenland, and Leia Hall and husband Clinton of Fayetteville; nine grandchildren, Lindsey Stewart, Vanessa Stewart, Matthew Tunstill, Whitney Srsen and husband Drew, Aaron Lee, Drew Lee and wife Kaitlyn, Kellin Lee and wife Chandler, Nicholas Brooks and wife Sydney, and Mesha Hall; seven great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
The Tunstill family wants to publicly thank the incredibly caring staff at Countryside Assisted Living for the kindness and care so unselfishly provided John while he was in residence with them.
The family will receive friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home in Fayetteville. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at Nelson-Berna Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Patrick Cemetery in Patrick, Arkansas. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to Countryside Assisted Living – Resident Activity Account, 722 Phillips Place, Huntsville, AR 72740. To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are by Nelson-Berna Funeral Home in Fayetteville.
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