Tyras S. "Bunk" Athey

TYRAS S. (BUNK) ATHEY dies at age 83.
Tyras S. (Bunk) Athey died on July 20, 2010 at Hospice of the Chesapeake in Annapolis. He was born in Burtonsville, MD on March 30, 1927. Attended Montgomery County public schools before serving in the U.S. Navy from 1945-1946. Married in 1951, he and his wife Chick (nee Dorothy N. O'Lexey) raised their three children, Darlene, Bryan, and Cathy on Shipley Farm Road in Jessup. During that time, he and Chick owned and operated the Old Farm Inn, later Ye Olde Farm Spirit Shoppe. He was elected to the Maryland State House of Delegates in 1967 to represent Anne Arundel County. Bunk also was an active member of his community, serving as a volunteer of the Jessup Volunteer Fire Department, the Jessup Community Association and worshiping at Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church in Jessup. Additionally, he was a charter member of the Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department. He was also a member of the Waterloo Lions Club, the Glen Burnie Elks, the Laurel Moose, the American Legion, the VFW, the AA County Licensed Beverage Association and the Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association. His interests included horse racing, jousting, and the Redskins football team. Mr. Athey was very instrumental in declaring Jousting as the official Maryland State Sport.
Mr. Athey served on many Committees and Task Forces throughout his political career, including Chairman of the Anne Arundel County Delegation, long time Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and Chairman of the Southern Legislative Conference. He left the House of Delegates in 1993 to serve as Maryland Secretary of State until 1995. In 1996 he was a Delegate to the Democratic Party National Convention. In 2003, he received the Thomas Kennedy Award, Speaker's Society. A beloved figure in Maryland politics, he always supported his hometown of Jessup, Anne Arundel County and the State of Maryland throughout his 29 years of public service.
Mr. Athey is survived by his wife Chick, 3 children, Darlene, Bryan and Cathy and 5 grandchildren, and many other relatives and friends. The family will receive visitors at Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A., 1411 Annapolis Road, Odenton, MD on Saturday, July 24th & Sunday, July 25th from 3 to 5pm & 7 to 9pm, where Service will be held at 11am on Monday, July 26th. Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church, 7745 Waterloo Rd, Jessup MD 20794 or the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, 1815 Bay Ridge Ave, Annapolis, MD 21403.