Dr. Dearl L. Bunce

Reverend Dr. Dearl Linwood Bunce (“D.L.”) of Glenwood Drive, passed away September 1, 2025 in his home.  Dr. Bunce was born August 23, 1935 to Molcie and Walter Bunce in Cumberland County, North Carolina, the youngest of 13.

His life was dedicated to serving others. He lived the creed to love God with all your heart, mind, soul, strength, and your neighbor as yourself.

At the age of 17, D.L. married his first sweetheart, Betty Lou Graham, and went into business for himself, buying and selling produce around Fayetteville.  Though he was quite successful, he’d always wanted to attend college.  So, in 1955, at 20, he made his way to UNC Chapel Hill, where he studied for one year, the first in his family to attend college. On learning that his second child was on the way, he left school to continue his business as D.L. Bunce Produce, Inc. In 1957 he joined forces with his brothers forming Bunce Brothers Farms, Inc., operating in both North Carolina and Georgia, and employing upwards of 500 people. At the age of 22, D. L. was elected the company’s first president.

In 1964, at 29, D. L. felt called into the ministry. Having witnessed the injustice and cruelty of racial bigotry and prejudice during these years, he was compelled to respond. He relinquished his interest in the company and enrolled as an undergraduate at Campbell College. The following year, he began serving his first pastorate in Smithfield, North Carolina, while working with the Johnston County Health Department and advocating to better the working conditions of migrant workers. The church he pastored, while small, led with a powerful message of love and justice. Despite intimidation and physical threats from groups like the KKK, Dr. Bunce and his wife Betty, stood firm in their commitment against racism and segregation, refusing to abandon their commitment to the marginalized and oppressed.

Between 1969 and 1975, then again from 1979 to 1991, Dr. Bunce moved his family to Lexington, North Carolina to serve two stints as pastor of Coggins Memorial Baptist Church. One focus of Dr. Bunce’s ministry was to raise funds for and awareness of local and world hunger, out of which, the idea for “AgroCare” was born:  Lexington’s annual crop walk was begun; church members were encouraged to forego meals and contribute the proceeds to world hunger; and ahead of its time, over one hundred 2500 square foot garden plots were created for anyone to use to grow their own food.  All told, AgroCare raised over $300,000 for world hunger and, among other things, provided the means, to buy, test, and send well water drilling systems to Zambia, Africa.

The church also focused on impacting and improving the lives of children in other ways, including enrolling over 1100 children in what was, to that point, the largest and only racially integrated Vacation Bible School in North Carolina. During this time, Dr. Bunce completed his seminary training, earning his Master of Divinity from Southeastern and his Doctor of Ministry from Southern Theological Seminaries. Dr. Bunce also served as pastor at Bedford Baptist Church, in Bedford Virginia from 1975 through 1979.

In 1987, Dr. Bunce, with his wife and son, Graham, founded Bunce Buildings, a retail outdoor storage building company.  Over the years, the company expanded to incorporate the wholesale manufacture and distribution of its products. More than just a business, the companies became a means to uplift and support the communities they served.  The golden rule always informed D.L.’s business model and he served as a shining example of what it meant to always “do what is fair and right”.

D.L. loved life.  He was an avid vegetable gardener and enjoyed gathering and sharing his bounty with family, friends and neighbors alike.  His “gardens” more resembled small farms than your typical back yard garden plot.  He was also a passionate fisherman. He spent many hours on High Rock and Smith Mountain Lakes camping and fresh water fishing with his family.  Portsmouth Island and Beverly Beach, FL were his favorite surf fishing spots, with time reserved for collecting beautiful shells and feeding the ever patient, faithful pelicans.

Mostly, though, D. L. loved being with his family.  He was lucky to have been cherished by two incredible women during his life. He is preceded in death by his first wife of 55 years, Betty Lou Graham Bunce.  He is survived by his wife of 16 years, Shirley Swing Bunce (“Grand Shirley”); his three children, son D. Linwood Bunce and wife Anita, son Graham A. Bunce and wife Lana, daughter Elizabeth F. Bunce and husband Bill Bates; his bonus children, son Darrell Swing and wife Lisa, and daughter Joni Faulkner; 15 grandchildren, Rev. Daryn Stylianopoulos and husband Spiro, Lin Story-Bunce and wife Caryanne, Kendall Grubb and husband Justin, June Bunce, Dr. Adam Bunce and wife Brittani, Dr. Brianna Douglas and husband Bruce, Russala Staton and husband Jon, Austin Rivas and husband Tanner, Olivia Bunce, Grayson Bates and fiancé Caitlin Branham, and Taylor Dare Bates; four bonus grandchildren,  Hailey Phillips and husband Owen, McKinley Gettel and husband Daniel,  Brooklyn Hunter and husband Joseph, and Sarah Faulkner;  and 19 great-grandchildren.

The family gratefully acknowledges the love, care and support to D.L. and his family during his illness provided by the nurses, CNAs and other staff of Bayada Home Health and Hospice of Davidson County. To Darlin Aguilar, we offer special thanks.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, September 6, 2:00 p.m at First Baptist Church, 201 West Third Avenue, Lexington, NC 29282.  The family will receive friends from 6-8:00 p.m. Friday September 5 at Davidson Funeral home, Lexington Chapel, 301 North Main Street, Lexington North Carolina and other times in the home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Foundation for the Carolinas 220 North Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202 (Memo line: Bunce 3361 or Bunce Family Foundation);  United Way of Davidson County, PO Box 492, Lexington, North Carolina 27293; the Dr. Dearl L. and Betty G. Bunce Endowment Scholarship Fund c/o Davidson-Davie Community College Foundation, P.O. Box 1287, Lexington, NC 27293, or the charity of your choice.