Briggs Harrington Bunker

Briggs H. Bunker, 92, passed away peacefully on Saturday September 9th, in the house where he was raised in North Conway, NH, surrounded by his four sons and wife. Briggs bravely fought Parkinson’s for many years with the help of his supportive family and many caregivers. He was born at Memorial Hospital on May 10th, 1931, the son of Harry D. Bunker and Mary A. Bunker (Matteson). He grew up in North Conway, attended local schools graduating from Kennett High School in 1949. He enlisted in the Air Force and served four years as an Air Traffic Controller. Following the Air Force he attended the University of New Hampshire, graduating with a degree in Business Administration. Briggs met his future wife Bobbi at the Waffle Shop in North Conway. They were married in 1959, settled in North Conway where Briggs worked with his father in the plumbing and heating business, and raised their four sons Mark, Wayne, Alan and Scott. Briggs was well known throughout the Mount Washington Valley, he served many charities including the North Conway Community Center, North Conway Public Library (Pope), Christ Church vestry and warden, North Conway Rotary Club, Mount Washington Observatory, Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce, Gibson Center and he was supervisor of the check list for the town of Conway. In addition to his volunteer activities, Briggs had several passions including traveling the world with his wife and close friends, singing in the church choir and several local choruses, and playing golf with friends and family. Weather observation was an important part of Briggs’ life since childhood. He was an official NOAA weather observer for 34 years. He was perhaps best known in the valley as the morning weather man giving the daily weather report on the local radio station for 40+ years after taking over for Joe Dodge in the early 70’s. The show always ended with a daily weather rating between 0 and 50 cents. Anyone in the valley knew that a beautiful day with blue skies would be a 50 cent day, aka, a “50-Centah”! Briggs was predeceased by his parents and his older brother Harry. He is survived by his wife Bobbi and sons Mark (Sheryl), Wayne (Pam), Alan (Kathy), Scott (Katie) and AFS exchange student Guillermo; ten grandchildren, Tom, Laura, Lydia, Sarah, David, Rob, Connor, Albert, Melissa and Lily and four great grandchildren Michael, Matthew, Benjamin, and Oliver. There will be visiting hours at the Furber and White Funeral Home in North Conway on Friday September 15th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. A funeral service will be held at Christ Church Episcopal in North Conway on Saturday September 16th at 10:30 am followed by interment at the Kearsarge Cemetery. All are welcome to attend a reception at the Red Fox Bar & Grille in Jackson, NH at 12 noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Mount Washington Valley Adult Day Center, the Gibson Center, the Mount Washington Observatory or Visting Nurse Home Care & Hospice of Carroll County