Barbara Ann Ridgeway Dunker

Barbara Ann Ridgeway Dunker, age 84, of Asheboro passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at her home. Mrs. Dunker was born February 15, 1931 in Mounds, IL to Thomas M. and Ruby Baine Ridgeway. In addition to her parents, Barbara was preceded in death by her brother, William Thomas Ridgeway. As a very young girl, Barbara accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and began to use her musical talent to sew the seeds of the Gospel by playing the piano some in her home church, the Methodist Church of Mounds, Illinois. When she answered the call to the ministry with Carl, in May of 1948, they were appointed to Thebes Methodist Church in Thebes, IL, which was about to close its doors. Barbara played the piano and sang the solos and Carl preached. Barbara was 17 and Carl was 18. After they were married on June 12, 1949, they were appointed to Pocahontas Methodist Church in Pocahontas, IL. And so for the next 47 active years in the ministry in different churches and in different places and in different situations, she proclaimed the Gospel by playing the piano and the organ, by singing solos and duets, and by singing in the choir. They retired from active ministry in June, 1995. Barbara was no longer active in organized church music but kept playing and singing her favorite hymns at home. She is survived by her husband, Rev. Carl Dunker; sons, David Dunker and wife Susan of Asheboro, NC and their sons, Mark Dunker and wife Angie of Greensboro, NC and Jason Dunker and wife Kisha of Wilmington, NC, Steven Dunker and wife Gwyneth and their daughter, Sarah Grace Dunker all of New Bern, NC; daughter, Diane Dunker Roe and husband Charles of Silver Springs, MD; great grandson, Austin Dunker of Greensboro, NC; great granddaughters, Meredith Dunker of Greensboro, NC and Peyton Dunker of Wilmington, NC; and sisters, Bette Ruth Wadsack-Bain of San Antonio, TX and Bonita L. Robertson of Salt Lake City, UT. The family will receive friends Thursday, March 19, 2015 from 4:00-5:00 pm at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue, Asheboro, NC. Funeral services will follow on Thursday at 5:00 pm at the Pugh Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. David Spaulding officiating, assisted by soloist Charles Miller and pianist Terri McDowell. Burial will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015 at 11:00 am in Green Lawn Memorial Gardens in Villa Ridge, IL. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Randolph, P.O. Box 9, Asheboro, NC 27204-0009.