Bernie J. Kuntz

Bernie J. Kuntz passed away Sunday morning on October 28, 2018. He died of numerous complications from the Vietnam B-cell lymphoma agent orange. He was born April 4, 1949 in Jamestown, ND to his father and mother Jake and Emma Kuntz.



Bernie went to elementary school through high school in Jamestown. He received his BA in journalism and English at the University of North Dakota in 1974. This was after he spent a number of years in the US Marine Corps. Cpl Kuntz was in the Marine Corps from December 1968 until December 1971. Bernie was a reconnaissance scout, rifleman and radio operator for the 1st Platoon B Company, 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division in South Vietnam in 1970. Commendations were—Bronze Star Medal with combat V. tow Vietnamese Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation and other ribbons.



Over the years he published a number of articles in the Wyoming Wildlife Magazine where he was associate editor from 1975 to April 1983. He also published articles in Montana Outdoors, Gray’s Sporting Journal, Alaska Fish and Game Magazine and other magazines. He wrote a weekly outdoor column for the Jamestown Sun Newspaper for 44 years, retiring the last week of September 2018.



He was predeceased by his mother and father, Emma and Jake Kuntz and his son Ben Kuntz thirty years ago.



Bernie is survived by his daughter Katrina Koerner and Lana, the mother of Katrina and Ben, who lives in Nebraska and his younger brother Jim Kuntz and his wife Shelly. He is also survived by his current wife Laurie Kuntz in Montana.



Bernie was a total hunting and fishing “nut.” He hunted all over the northern U.S. and Canada western areas. He also fished salt water in Alaska and many, many years at Amisk Lake in B.C. Canada. He hunted in South Africa one time, bringing back 11 animals. Hunting pheasants was a very popular thing to do for Bernie. He always had one or two hunting dogs. He is one of 160 people in the world who had two “grand slams” on wild sheep…two each of the four species of native sheep.



So—if he is in a heaven of his choice, he can visit with his mom and dad, also with son Ben. And maybe he can do a bit of pheasant hunting, taking turns with his beagles and Labradors. And as Bernie wrote in his last weekly column…”see you in camp at sun down.”



Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com.