Thomas Byron Hunsaker was born March 3, 1930 at Novelty, Missouri, a son of Dalton Allen and Minnie Mae (Boring)Hunsaker. On June 20, 1953, he married Betty Mae Mattox at Fort Madison, Iowa. They divorced. He married Genevieve E. Kuhljuergen Gross on May 31, 1980 at Fort Madison, Iowa.

Tom worked as a draftsmen for the Sheaffer Pen Company, Fort Madison; he worked for Thomas Truck and Casting, Keokuk, and then for John Deere, Waterloo, where he retired as a CAD Engineer. He took great pride in his yard and his apple trees, and loved to hunt and fish in his earlier years. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and Eagles Club of Fort Madison and Waterloo. He was a veteran of the US Army, Sgt. 1st class, 82nd Airborne stationed at Ft. Bragg, serving during the Korean War.

At 80 years of age, he died at 4:30 AM Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at Sunnybrook of Fort Madison, Iowa. He is survived by his wife, Genevieve E. Hunsaker, of Fort Madison, Iowa; one daughter, Lina (husband Chris) Dodge, of Denver, Colorado; one son, Bruce Hunsaker, of Fort Madison, Iowa; 5 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Stanley Hunsaker, and two sisters, Irene Patterson and Dorothy Glasgow.

Per his wishes, his body has been cremated. Graveside services will be 10:30 AM Friday May 7, 2010 at the Oakland Cemetery, Soldiers Circle, Fort Madison, Iowa. A memorial has been established for the American Heart Association, contributions may be made at the Barr Memorial Chapel.