Wilbur Dunker, age 86, passed away on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Ray & Kay Eckstein Hospice Care Center.

Born on December 24, 1938, to Joe and Lavonia Dunker in Cairo, Illinois, he was the fourth boy of 7 children. He attended school in Cairo and graduated from High School in 1956. He loved sports and played football, baseball, and basketball for Cairo High School. He attended SIU Carbondale and was a member of the ROTC Singing Squadron, mainly because he did not want to march.

Wilbur was a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. It was a tradition with the Dunker men. He and two of his sons would go back and forth via text about how good or bad the Cards were playing, something he looked forward to during every game. His favorite player was Stan “The Man” Musial, whom he was fortunate

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