RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Eugene H. Dunckel, age 81 died peacefully on Thursday morning November 6, 2008 in the house where he was born with his loving wife by his side. Eugene was born March 21, 1927, in the Town of Warren to Howard A. and Bernice A. (Van Valkenburg) Dunckel. He attended the country school in Warren, graduating from VanHornesville Central School in 1944. In 1945 he joined the US Army Air Corps where he attended A&E school for B29s in Biloxi, Mississippi. He then served in the Army of Occupation in Germany. Gene served at various bases throughout his twenty years of service that spanned three wars. He retired in 1965 at Bangor Air Force Base in Maine with the rank of E-5 Tech Sergeant. He earned several trophies driving in truck competitions in the service and just missed the National trophy by of a point. He came home and ran the family farm for a short time, then went to work for Dairy Lea driving truck for several years, retiring in 1984. He then went to work as a consultant for the New York Susquehanna & western Railway for 10 years. Gene and his wife Janet have been spending winters in Bradenton, FL for twenty years. He was very active in the American Legion Honor Guard in both Richfield Springs and Bradenton, participating in many military funerals. He was dedicated to service for his fellow veterans. He belonged to the Richfield Springs Legion Post 616, VFW Post 141 Bradenton, FL, Sergeants Air Force Assoc. NRA, AM Vets in Richfield Springs and the 40 & 8 in Bradenton. He also enjoyed his long membership in Grange 810 in Warren. Surviving are his wife of thirty four years, Janet, his son, Wayne Dunckel and Joanne of Richfield Springs, daughter, Denise Andrecheck and granddaughter Brittany Andrecheck of Leland FL and his special Aunt Helen Vertucci, step-children, Michael and Rahlene Welch of Fly Creek, Patricia and Timothy Winters of DeRuyter, Ted and Darlene Welch of New Berlin, Thomas Welch of Binghamton, Penny & Donald Simonds of Richfield Springs, Terry Green and Debbie of North Carolina and Kimberly Moore and Scott of Richfield Springs. Also surviving are cousins, Shirley Jones, Orville and Eloise Eckler, Beverly Pratts, Patricia Quinlan, Kenneth and Barbara Pratt, Georgene & Donald Ehmann. Funeral service will be held on Tuesday at 11:00 am in the Church of Christ Uniting, Richfield Springs with the Reverend Arthur Miner, Pastor officiating. Interment service with full military honors will take place in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. The family will be present to receive relatives and friends in J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, 40 West James Street, Richfield Springs on Monday from 6:00 until 9:00 pm. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the Richfield Springs American Legion Post # 616. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home. Members of American Legion Post # 616 Richfield Springs are asked to meet in the funeral home on Monday evening at 7:30 pm for ritualistic services.