Raymond C (Bunky) Etman, 88, a lifelong resident of Grafton, New York died peacefully on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at his winter residence in Fort Pierce, Florida with his family at his side following a battle with cancer. Born in Grafton, New York on March 2, 1934, Mr. Etman was the son of Albert and Leona (Vars) Etman and for over 65 years, the husband of Dianne J. (Grandjean) Etman.
Mr. Etman attended the Berlin Central Schools and worked from the time he was a young teen. During his early years he worked on the family farm and was employed by several different construction companies prior to enlisting in the US Army during the Korean War. He served 2 years of active duty as a Private First Class and an additional 4 years in the Army Reserves. Following an honorable discharge, he was a truck driver for Rifenburg Construction, White Cross Diaper Service, and then Harrigan’s Laundry. He also served as Grafton Superintendent of Highways for 4 years. In 1975 he became a school bus driver for Brittonkill Central Schools and later for the Wynantskill Union Free School District before retiring in 2019 at the age of 85 and with over 44 years as a school bus driver. He was the proud recipient of the AAA Excellence in School Bus Driving Award.
Bunky loved to spend time outdoors; in his earlier years he enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, and working around his home. He was a member of the Grafton Volunteer Fire Department in his younger days as well as a member of the Brunswick Elks. In his later years, he kept busy traveling and camping in his RV’s and considered himself fortunate to have traveled around 48 of the 50 states. After his retirement, he enjoyed spending the winters in Florida with his children and summers back at his camp in the Adirondacks. He also looked forward to trips back to the Grafton VFW breakfasts where he could meet up with friends, catch up on the local news and reminisce with tales of the “good old days!”
In addition to his wife, Dianne, Bunky is survived by his three children: Raymond A. Etman of Haines City, Florida; Kellie A Kaschak (Robert) of Corinth, NY and Fort Pierce, Florida; and Randy C. Etman (Melissa) of Kissimmee, Florida. He is also survived by his sister, Lenore (Dolly) Crandall (Ralph Oakes), two very special brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws: Lee and Lillian Grandjean, and Skip and Mimi Grandjean, close friends Tom and Marilyn Henry, and Maureen Holt (and the late Gary Holt). He was also blessed with eight wonderful grandchildren: Angela (Scott) Rench, Rebecca (Naresh) Kannan, Brooke (Dustin) White, Kristen (Raymond) Navarette, David Etman, Zackery Etman, Ashley Etman, and Katelyn Etman, eight loving great-grandchildren: Rani, Gaia, Mason, Alexandra, Chloe, Viktor, Andrew, and Margot as well as many adored nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his siblings: brothers Franklin, Felix (Margaret), Arthur (Lydia), Artell Etman, and sisters Norma (Charles) Gentner, Shirley (Curtis) Minkler, and Patricia (Clifford) Gundrum. He is also predeceased by a grandson, Dylan Etman (infant son of Randy and Melissa Etman). For all those not specifically mentioned, please know you all held a special place in his heart.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 2, 2023 beginning at 11 am. Friends and relatives are invited to call at the funeral home on Friday morning from 10 to 10:45 am prior to the service. Arrangements are made by the Howard B. Tate and Son Funeral Home, 2237 NY-7, Troy, NY 12180. Burial with military honors will follow in the Eagle Mills Cemetery in Brunswick. A reception for family and friends at the Carner-Etman-Smith VFW Post # 6340 in Grafton will be held following the memorial and cemetery services. Those wishing to remember Bunky in a special way may send a donation to the Community Hospice of Saratoga or to the Grafton Volunteer Fire Company in his memory.
