| APRIL 18, 2013 -- Harold “Bud” Bunnell was the center of attention Saturday at the Milton Hall.
Bunnell, whose family’s Bunnell Farm has been a Milton landmark for 153 years, was honored on the occasion of his 90th birthday. About 100 family members and friends turned out to pay tribute to Bunnell.
“It was very nice to see so many people, some of whom I hadn’t seen in a long time,” said Bunnell, who celebrated his actual birthday on Monday.
The party was planned by Bunnell’s children, Fred, Sharon, Susan and Tia. Bunnell, seated next to his wife of 65 years, Frances, held court at the front of the hall and took a brief timeout to make a ceremonial first cut in his birthday cake.
Bunnell retired from dairy farming about 20 years ago, around the time his farm sold off its cows. He was a fourthgeneration owner of the farm, following his father, grandfather and great grandfather. Today, the farm is run by Fred Bunnell and his wife, Helen.
In the heyday of dairy farming, Bud Bunnell recalled, there were 18 dairy farms in the Milton area. Bunnell milked his first cow at the age of 8 and started working on the farm full-time at 17.
“I was never out of a job,” he said.
Many former dairy farmers were spotted at the party, among them Art Webster and Tony Damiani of Litchfield, Lewis Tanner of Warren, and Joe Ruwet of Torrington, the father of Helen Bunnell.
Note: Bud Bunnell is a Past Master and Golden Sheaf member of Litchfield Grange. |
