WHEREAS, George
Howard Bunting, Jr., was first elected to the Delaware House of Representatives
from Sussex County's 38th Representative District in 1982, and served in that
body from 1982 to 1984 and from 1986 to 1996; and
WHEREAS,
upon the retirement from the Senate of former Senate President Pro Tempore
Richard S. Cordrey in 1996, then Representative Bunting ran for Senator
Cordrey's 20th District Senate seat and was elected; and
WHEREAS,
he has given distinguished service as a member of the Senate since that time;
and
WHEREAS,
Senator Bunting was born in Salisbury, Maryland, on the 20th Day of November,
1944, and raised in the Sussex County town of Frankford; and
WHEREAS,
he attended the former John M. Clayton High School and Charlotte Hall Military
Academy before entering the service of his country as a member of the United
States Marine Corps; and
WHEREAS,
as a marine, Senator Bunting served in combat during the Vietnam War and was
awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medals for his service; and
WHEREAS,
soon after his return to civilian life, he married the former Donna Gray of
Selbyville, a union which was blessed by two sons, Christian and Clinton, and,
more recently, by Clinton's wife, Tia, and their children, Gray and Kenzie; and
WHEREAS,
after attending college, Senator Bunting opened up a State Farm Insurance
Agency in Rehoboth Beach, which he continues to operate; and
WHEREAS,
during his years of service in the Senate, Senator Bunting has been a strong
voice for the needs of his fellow veterans and helped to bring about Delaware's
two veterans' cemeteries and the new Delaware Veterans Home at Smyrna; and
WHEREAS,
Senator Bunting has also been an effective advocate for the needs of southern
Delaware and was a leader in efforts to build the new Indian River Inlet
Bridge, which was recently completed after many years of hard work; and
WHEREAS,
Senator Bunting also worked tirelessly for virtually all of his legislative
career on behalf of Delaware's manufactured housing residents, many of whom
resided in the Sussex County coastal area which he has represented; and
WHEREAS,
during his Senate years, Senator Bunting has chaired the Senate Agriculture
Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee and the Joint Sunset Committee, and has
served as a member of the Joint Capital Bond, Adult & Juvenile Corrections,
Banking, Education, Labor & Industrial Relations, Natural Resources &
Environmental Control and Small Business committees;
WHEREAS,
as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate, Senator Bunting has
earned a well-deserved reputation for absolute integrity, humility, strength of
character and possessing the courage of his convictions, which have earned him
the respect even of those who have opposed him on some issues; and
WHEREAS,
he is also known as a warm, caring and extraordinarily generous person in both
his public and private lives;
NOW,
THEREFORE:
BE
IT RESOVED by the Senate of the 146th General Assembly of the State of Delaware
that the members do hereby extend to our dear friend and colleague, the
Honorable George Howard Bunting, Jr., 20th District Senator, our heartfelt
thanks and commendations for his 28 years of distinguished service to the
citizens of the First State.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate does hereby extend to Senator Bunting
warmest best wishes for a long, happy and fulfilling retirement with his dear
wife, Donna, his son and daughter-in-law, Clinton and Tia, and his
grandchildren, Gray and Kenzie.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Senate Resolution be presented
to Senator Bunting, upon its passage, in the Senate Chamber at Legislative Hall
on this 30th Day of June, 2012.
