Rev. Karl John Dunker

Karl John Dunker died on Sunday, June 8, 2025. He was born in New Jersey in 1941, the elder child of Egbert and Erna (Dugroo) Dunker. He graduated with a B.A. from Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne IN in 1962 and from Concordia Seminary, Springfield IL (B.D. in 1966, MDiv. in 1971). While serving his seminary internship in Clovis CA, he met and married Johnetta LaVon (“Vonnie”) Bigham. Before coming to Augusta, he served parishes in Bedford and Anderson IN.

He served as Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church from 1977 until his retirement in 2006. He was active in the University Hospital Clergy Staff and Associate Chaplains Program, and also served for more than a decade on the Shepeard Blood Center Board of Directors. He “served the Lord with gladness” as counselor to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League on local, zone, and district levels. He served as Circuit Counselor for the East Central Georgia Circuit of the Florida-Georgia District LCMS. Since 2009, he served Our Redeemer as its Pastor Emeritus.

Karl was preceded in death by his wife, LaVon; two children: Matthias Charles Dunker and Sharon Dunker; a grandson, Alton Henry Rau III; and a great-grandson, Nathanial Rau. He is survived by his daughter, Susan (Patrick) Paulett of Trenton SC; his son, Jonathan Michael Dunker of Augusta GA; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; his step-son, Sean (Melody) Quinn of Squaw Valley CA; and his brother, John Dunker of Floyds Knobs, IN.

A memorial service will be held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 1:00 P.M. with Rev. Roger Schwartz officiating. Interment will be in Jones Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Athens TN at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Professional Church Worker Scholarship Fund of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 402 Aumond Road, Augusta GA 30909, or to a charity of your choice.

Thomas Poteet & Son, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907.