William Austin Buntyn, Bill to those who knew him, was born in Laurel, Mississippi on February 15, 1937, to James Russell Buntyn Sr. and Aleen Uzell Austin Buntyn. His brother James was born just eleven months prior, and from the beginning, they were a pair, thick as thieves, raised almost like twins. Where one went, the other wasn't far behind. Close in age and even closer in spirit, the two would move through life side by side, each forging his own legacy in uniform and in family.
Bill became an Army aviator and took to the sky with the 82nd Aviation Battalion. He served two combat tours in Vietnam, flying mission after mission, and came home with the Purple Heart, a medal he never displayed, never bragged about. It lived in a drawer, quietly. Like so much of his sacrifice. He didn't wear his bravery loudly. He carried it in the steady way he moved through the world.
In 1966, Bill met Georgia Sabin. And that was it. Just like that. They married in December 1966 and stayed that way until the day she left this earth, nearly fifty years later. Together they raised Mark and Pamela, all over the country. The Army told them where to go. They went.
Eventually, they landed in Edmond, Oklahoma, where the family put down roots that grew deep. In his second act, Bill became Professor of Military Science at Central State University (now UCO), where he led the ROTC program and mentored cadets not only in strategy and drill, but in how to carry oneself with dignity. He retired from the United States Armed Forces at the rank of Colonel, closing out a career defined by leadership and steadiness. But Bill wasn't one to idle. He went on to found WB Drilling and served as operations manager for a local oil and gas company, bringing the same precision and integrity to civilian life that marked his military years.
He had the kind of presence that straightened backs in a room. And yet, he never took himself too seriously. If he told you a story, if he poured you a drink, if he corrected your grammar or your manners with a raised brow and a smirk, he loved you. He loved golf, even when it didn't love him back. He loved a gin martini, served exactly the right way. He loved his friends, especially those who could dish it right back. He loved the sound of laughter and playing Rainbow Bright with his grandkids. He loved Georgia fiercely, every single day she was his. For all his formality and wit, when it came to his children and grandchildren, Bill was endlessly loyal, proud, and profoundly present. He loved them with his whole heart.
He lived long enough to watch his legacy stretch far and wide. He is survived by his children, Mark F. Buntyn and his wife, Keri L. Buntyn, and Pamela Parker and her husband, Bob Parker; his five grandchildren, Mark A. Buntyn, Kelsey L. Jennings, Austin Carson, Kinsey L. Buntyn, and Jennifer Parker; ten great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He also leaves behind his nephews, Thomas William Buntyn and James Russell Buntyn III, and their families. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Georgia, his parents, and his brother, Lt. Col. James Russell Buntyn Jr.
We will remember Bill Buntyn In the sharp corners of well-folded napkins, in the golf clubs lined up in the garage, in the scent of Soap on a Rope, and in the dignified way life can be lived fully and without apology.
A celebration of his life will be held in a private family ceremony to honor his wishes. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to a veteran support organization of your choice, an organization that is meaningful and enduring. Just like him.