Donald Bunch
Charleston, SC
Inducted December 2, 1989

GREW UP IN CHARLESTON, GREENVILLE, AND TAMPA FLORIDA. HE ENTERED THE CITADEL IN 1941, WITHDRAWING IN 1943 FOR ACTIVE MILITARY SERVICE DURING WORLD WAR II WHERE HE SERVED AS A PILOT WITH THE 20TH AIR FORCE. HE WAS DISCHARGED IN 1946 AND RESUMED HIS STUDIES AT THE CITADEL, WHERE HE GRADUATED IN 1948. FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION, HE IMMEDIATLEY BEGAN A TEACHING CAREER AS A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY OF THE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT.

HE WAS THE HEAD TENNIS COACH AT THE CITADEL FOR 30 YEARS AND WAS KNOWS AS MORE THAN A COACH TO THE YOUNG MEN WHOSE TENNIS GAMES AND LIVES HE HELPED SHAPE. HE WAS THE DEAN OF THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TENNIS COACHES AND HAD A 282-235-2 OVERALL RECORD, INCLUDING AN 18-6 RECORD IN 1987, HIS FINALD SEASON. HIS BULLDOGS WON 19 MATCHES IN 1978, A MODERN DAY RECORD FOR THE MOST TENNIS VICTORIES IN A SEASON AT THE CITADEL. HIS TEAM WON THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CROWN IN 1961, AND FINISHED 2ND IN THE 1960, 1962, & 1976. HIS PLAYERS WON TWO SINGLES & FOUR DOUBLES SOUTHERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS.

THE CITADEL TENNIS COURTS WERE NAMED AFTER HIM IN 1976 & A SCHOLARSHIP WAS ESTABLISED IN HIS HONOR PRIOR TO HIS DEATH IN 1986 BY HIS FORMER PLAYERS. THE SCHOLARSHIP QUICKLY BECAME ONE OF THE BRIGADIER CLUB’S LARGEST.

DURING HIS 38 YEARS AT THE CITADEL, BUNCH NOT ONLY SERVED AS A TEACHER & COACH, BUT WAS THE COLLEGE REISTRAR AND DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS FROM 1970 TO 1977. HE RETIRED FROM COACHING THE TENNIS TEAM IN 1975 BECAUSE OF THESE EXTRA DUTIES, BUT RETURNED TO HIS FIRST LOVE AT THE COLLEGE IN 1978. TWICE DURING COL. BUNCH’S CAREER, HE WAS THE RECIPIENT OF THE CITADEL’S OUTSTANDING TEACHING AWARD.

HE WAS ACTIVE IN THE SC TENNIS ASSOCIATION DURING ITS EARLY YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT AND SERVED AS PRESIDENT. HE WAS INTERESTED IN AND SUPPORTED IMPROVING THE GAME OF TENNIS IN THE STATE. BUNCH WAS ACTIVE IN COMMUNITY AND CHURCH WORK AND SERVED ON MANY CIVIC BOARDS, MOST NOTABLE THE KIWANIS WHERE HE SERVED AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF THE CAROLINAS DISTRICT.

COL. BUNCH WAS KNOWN AS A CARING PERSON, A FATHER AWAY FROM HOME FOR MANY CADETS. HIS BULLING PERSONALITY AND POSITIVE APPROACH TO LIFE AFFECTED EVERONE WITH WHOM HE CAME IN CONTACT. HE WAS RESPECTED BY PLAYER, STUDENTS, FELLOW FACUTLY MEMBERS AND RIVAL COACHES AS A MAN WHO CARED ABOUT HIS PLAYERS AND THEIR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT AS YOUNG MEN.

HE DIED ON APRIL 20,1987 JUST PRIOR TO THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT. HIS WIFE, TWO CHILDREN, AND FIVE GRANDCHILDREN SURVIVE HIM.