Ellen Smith Bunting - - Alma Funeral Home

February 9, 1913 — May 22, 2015 Ellen Smith Bunting passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, May 22, 2015 at age 102. Born February 9, 1913 in Hillspring, Alberta, Canada to William Charles Smith and Clara Sloan, Ellen was the third child and first of three daughters in her family of eleven children. In 1928, at age 15, she went to Portland to go to school and to help her recently widowed uncle with housekeeping and child care. She has also lived in Salt Lake City, Glendale, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, and Barstow, but Bakersfield was her home for 72 years. While in Salt Lake City, she worked and attended the L.D.S. Business College. She has been employed as a mother's helper, housekeeper, practical nurse, dental assistant, auto court manager, waitress, cook, bookkeeper and mother. Ellen was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She has served in many callings, including Relief Society President, but especially enjoyed teaching Gospel Doctrine. While in Lake Elsinore, she helped establish the first Relief Society and build the first meeting house there. Ellen enjoyed serving in the LDS Los Angeles Temple for many years and also served a mission in the Washington D.C. Temple. She is famous for her bread making ability. For one fund raiser, she made over 300 loaves of bread, with some assistance. Many of her family and friends have received the fruits of her talents of cooking, sewing, quilting and crocheting through the years She married John S. Bunting in 1943. Together they traveled to many of his church assignments as District President and they had the pleasure of having several general authorities visit in their home. She is preceded in death by her husband John, step sons, Jack and Reid Bunting, and her daughter, Kathrin Smith (Gary). She is survived by her sister, Ruth Gifford, brother, John Smith, stepdaughter, Barbara Baker, her sons Karl Smith Bunting (Gaye), David William Bunting (Cherie), Leo Slater Bunting (Vickie), grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many others. A viewing will be held Saturday, May 30, 2015 at 9:00 a.m., followed by funeral services at 10:00 a.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 851 Monica Street, Bakersfield, California. Interment will be at Greenlawn Cemetary, 3700 River Boulevard. Funeral Directors: Alma Funeral Home.

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