Linda Mae Bunk

Linda Mae Bunk, née Goggin, treasured wife, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away on December 31st, 2024, at her home in Durango, CO. Comforted in her final days by cherished family and friends, she departed this world peacefully, maintaining her sparkling humor and grace till the very last.

Linda was born the third of four children on November 15th, 1953, in Colorado Springs, CO, to Flora (Flo) Goggin. Anyone who knew Linda can testify that she inherited Flo’s inner strength and grit, necessary traits for a single mother of four in the 1960s. She grew up on the west side (West Side Pride!) and attended William J. Palmer High School where she was a prominent member of the cheerleading squad, graduating in 1971. She went on to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO, graduating in 1975 with a bachelor’s in social work. After college, Linda relocated to San Antonio, TX, where she put her degree to good use teaching underprivileged youth about birth control. A year later, she moved to Salida, CO, where she continued her involvement in social work until the emotional weight of the job became too taxing and she decided to pursue the glamorous life of a ski bum. Working at the equipment rental desk at Monarch Mountain Ski Resort, she met her future husband, Ron Bunk. He offered to teach her how to telemark ski, and as they say, the rest is history.

Shortly after, Linda and Ron moved to Buena Vista, CO, where Linda was hired to open offices for Colorado Mountain College in Buena Vista and Salida, CO, which earned her the Young Businesswoman of the Year award. It was also during this time that she sparked her lifelong interest in community engagement, initiating the very first Buena Vista Folk Festival.

Linda and Ron were wed in 1985 and purchased their first home in Leadville, CO, for $5,000. While living in Leadville, they built their first house from the ground up. They would go on to build an impressive nine houses! 

A few years later, Linda and Ron decided they wanted to settle down somewhere with a health food store, a public radio station, and a college. Durango, CO, ticked all the right boxes, so they packed up their life and relocated in 1989. 

In her early Durango years, Linda worked as the Director of the Durango Arts Center while Ron put his handyman skills to work renovating their newly acquired commercial real estate, Animas Square. The proceeds from that investment eventually allowed Linda to leave the workforce, so she could focus on enjoying her passions in life.

Durango proved to be the perfect place for Linda and Ron’s love of the outdoors to flourish. It was a rare day when they weren’t outside appreciating Durango’s natural beauty, hiking and biking in the summer months, and partaking in every variety of skiing known to man in the winter months. But don’t get Linda started on how those inconsiderate snowboarders tear up the good snow on the mountain!

When not enjoying their life in Durango, Linda and Ron travelled the globe, soaking in all the amazing sights and cultures this world has to offer. After the age of 50, they made it a priority to plan two big trips a year, usually centered around an extended backpacking, biking, or skiing expedition. A few of Ron’s most memorable adventures include skiing in Japan, trekking across Nepal, and cross-country skiing the Haute Route through Switzerland. Linda may have been taken from us far too soon, but nobody can say she didn’t live every year she had to the fullest.

Linda was one of the good ones. She brought light and joy to everyone who was lucky enough to call her a close friend. She was the family glue that brought the Goggin clan together whenever she could. She was a champion for human decency. She was silly and funny and charming. She was a loving wife, and the connection she and Ron shared was inspirational to everyone who knew them. She was an aunt that felt more like a mother. She was so many wonderful things to so many people. She will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

Linda is preceded in death by her mother, Flo Goggin, and her brother, Richard Goggin. She is survived by her husband, Ron Bunk, her brothers, Dan and Neil Goggin, six beloved nieces and nephews, six great-nieces and nephews, an array of extended family by marriage, and a strong community of lifelong friends in Durango.

Linda’s life will be celebrated on Friday, January 10th from 3-6 PM at the DoubleTree Riverside Hotel Ballroom, 501 Camino Del Rio, Durango, CO 81301. Remembrances will be shared starting at 4 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made in Linda’s memory to one of her favorite local non-profits, the Great Old Broads for Wilderness. https://greatoldbroads.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate-online