Meredith Bunton

Meredith Barrain Bunton more affectionately known as Marco, was born on September 30, 1945 in Dallas, Texas to Juanita Barrain and Paul Hall. Juanita later married Jenno Bunton who adopted Marco, and had his siblings Michael and Mildred. Marco grew up in a small farm town in Hutchins, Texas with his family. He and his siblings Michael were raised in a Methodist church. Every Sunday Marco and Michael would get up and sing the same song in front of the entire congregation. In The Garden (He walks with me and He talks with me). Marco came from humble beginnings and was always taught great work ethics even at a very young age. In 1960 Marco moved to Los Angeles, met and married his bride Sally Geary with whom they were blessed to have two daughters, Kiana and Rako . Marco earned his barbers and beauticians license because “he wanted to do hair… to get somewhere” and that he did! Most people don’t know this about Meredith, but his secrets are out now! Marco’s clientele were from Little Richard, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Bobby Blue Bland, Johnny Guitar Watson and Betty Wright to name a few and many more. Later in Marco’s life after retiring from Lockheed Aircraft, Marco decided to move to a mutual friends hometown where her father lived. He fell in love with Centralia, IL., where he brought plenty of smiles, jokes, laughter and new hair styles to our town. Everyone thought Sammy Davis Jr. had come had arrived. Marco became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints, where he was embraced as Brother Bunton and became a faithful greeter. Marco demanded to remain living in his Centralia until he took his last breath the morning of February 6, 2023. He was preceded in death by his parents, Juanita Bunton, Paul Hall, his sister Mildred Bunton- Smith and his beautiful granddaughter Khalilah Muhammad. Marco is survived by his two daughters Kiana and Rako, one brother Michael Bunton, grandchildren Zaai, Ishmael, Nadia, Kye, Nekko, Kelsee, Camry, and Cameron, 6 great-grandchildren, and his special adopted California family Charlotte, Bryan, Ea and their children. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 at 11:00 am at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home. The service will be recorded and put on the funeral home website for friends and family that may not be able to attend. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the family and will be accepted at the Sutherland-Garnier Funeral Home at 235 North Sycamore Street in Centralia, Illinois 62801 (618) 532-3523, who is honored to be of service to the Bunton family. Online condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.sutherlandfuneralhome.com or the Funeral Home’s Facebook page.

Meredith Bunton

September 30, 1943 - February 6, 2023