Bruce A. Kunkel

Bruce Arlen Kunkel, 90, a longtime resident of Chelmsford, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at Brightview Assisted Living in Billerica, surrounded by his loving family. He was the beloved husband of Ellen (Dolph) Kunkel, with whom he shared 61 wonderful years of marriage.
Bruce was born on April 18, 1934, in Belfast, Maine, to the late Alton and Arlene (Barrus) Kunkel. He grew up in Newburyport, Massachusetts, alongside his brother, Gary A. Kunkel, who predeceased him in 2018 at the age of 86. Bruce's father was the proud owner of Kunkel's Stationery, a local fixture in Newburyport. He graduated from Newburyport High School in 1953, where he was voted "Most Talented." In 1957, Bruce earned his B.S. in Meteorology from Penn State University. In 1959, he earned his M.S. in Meteorology from the University of Washington.
During graduate school summers, Bruce worked on cloud seeding projects in Missoula, Montana. In 1959, he joined the Northeast Weather Service, stationed atop Mount Washington. A year later, in 1960, he began his long career as a cloud physicist with the Geophysics Laboratory at Hanscom Air Force Base, a career that spanned over three decades. His work included more than 18 published scientific papers on topics ranging from fog dispersal systems and toxic chemical dispersion to cloud seeding.
In May 1962, Bruce met Ellen at the Newburyport Ski Club. After an eight-month courtship, they married at Scarsdale Congregational Church on February 2, 1963. The following year, their daughter Cindy was born, and they moved from Arlington to their cherished home in Chelmsford, where they lived for 60 years.
Bruce was a man of many interests. He enjoyed camping, summers on Cape Cod, attending his daughters' horse shows, playing tennis, and both downhill and cross-country skiing. A skilled clock repairman, he owned his own business and was known as the "Clock Doctor". Bruce found joy in volunteering at the Joppa Flats Education Center in Newburyport and serving as Treasurer of the Central Congregational Church Chelmsford. After retiring from Hanscom in 1991, Bruce and Ellen took up birdwatching, traveling to destinations near and far-including Alaska, the Caribbean, the Galápagos Islands, Belize, Trinidad, and Costa Rica-where they expanded their catalog of bird sightings.
Bruce was a devoted family man. He was predeceased by his daughter, Cynthia "Cindy" K. Wright, in 2006. He leaves behind his wife, Ellen; his daughter, Julie K. Diegel and her husband James of Hyannis Port; his son, William B. Kunkel and his wife Heather Ramey of Denver, CO; and his son-in-law Eric M. Wright (Cindy's husband) of Tyngsboro. He was a cherished grandfather to Stephanie Wright, Alexis Wright, Taylor Wright, Amanda Diegel, Emily Diegel, Jacqueline Diegel, Cailin Kunkel, and Owen Kunkel.
Bruce will be remembered for his intellect, sense of humor, gentle spirit, and love for his family and the natural world. He leaves a lasting legacy of curiosity, kindness, and a life well-lived.
A celebration of life, where visitors are welcome to come and go and share memories, will be held on Friday, October 25, 2024, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Blake Chelmsford Funeral Home, 24 Worthen St., Chelmsford. A memorial service will take place on Saturday, October 26, at 2:00 p.m. at the Central Congregational Church, 1 Worthen St., Chelmsford. Interment will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Bruce's name may be made to the Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center