Augusta, GA
Rev. Karl John Dunker Obituary June 8, 2025 – Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors
Karl John Dunker died on Sunday, June 8, 2025. He was born in New Jersey in 1941, the elder child of Egbert and Erna (Dugroo) Dunker. He graduated with a B.A. from Concordia Senior College, Fort Wayne IN in 1962 and from Concordia Seminary, Springfield IL (B.D. in 1966, MDiv. in 1971). While serving his seminary internship in Clovis CA, he met and married Johnetta LaVon (“Vonnie”) Bigham. Before coming to Augusta, he served parishes in Bedford and Anderson IN.
He served as Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church from 1977 until his retirement in 2006. He was active in the University Hospital Clergy Staff and Associate Chaplains Program, and also served for more than a decade on the Shepeard Blood Center Board of Directors. He “served the Lord with gladness” as counselor to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League on local, zone, and district levels. He served as Circuit Counselor for the East Central Georgia Circuit of the Florida-Georgia District LCMS. Since 2009, he served Our Redeemer as its Pastor Emeritus.
Karl was preceded in death by his wife, LaVon; two children: Matthias Charles Dunker and Sharon Dunker; a grandson, Alton Henry Rau III; and a great-grandson, Nathanial Rau. He is survived by his daughter, Susan (Patrick) Paulett of Trenton SC; his son, Jonathan Michael Dunker of Augusta GA; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; his step-son, Sean (Melody) Quinn of Squaw Valley CA; and his brother, John Dunker of Floyds Knobs, IN.
A memorial service will be held at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 1:00 P.M. with Rev. Roger Schwartz officiating. Interment will be in Jones Chapel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Athens TN at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Professional Church Worker Scholarship Fund of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 402 Aumond Road, Augusta GA 30909, or to a charity of your choice.
Thomas Poteet & Son, 214 Davis Rd., Augusta, GA 30907.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Golden Harvest Food Bank is partnering with local legal organizations for the 15th Annual Georgia Food Frenzy.
The fundraising competition is held in partnership with Feeding Georgia, the Office of the Georgia Attorney General, the State Bar of Georgia, and the Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia.
The two-week competition runs from April 20th through May 1st, and every dollar raised stays local, supporting Golden Harvest’s work across the state of Georgia.
Groups can register at www.galegalfoodfrenzy.org/sign-up, and registration will remain open throughout the competition.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan campaigned in Augusta ahead of Election Day, making stops at two churches and meeting with local faith leaders.
The former lieutenant governor visited Good Hope Baptist Church on Cedar Street, where he spoke with the Greater Augusta Interfaith Coalition’s “Music to the Polls” group.
Duncan told us that, if elected governor, he wants to expand Medicaid, pass what he called “common-sense gun legislation,” and create more economic opportunities statewide. He also pointed to affordability concerns impacting families and businesses.
“I want to take $1.7 billion of our state’s fund and wrap it around the axle of poverty,” Duncan said, adding that he wants to lower child care costs and improve temporary assistance programs.
Duncan also stopped at Miles Memorial Church on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
NJ apartment dwellers, renters have these options for help with rent
State and local officials say several programs are designed to help low and moderate-income households stay housed in the face of financial distress.
As rent prices continue to strain budgets, a new study is highlighting where Georgians can save the most by splitting housing costs.
According to a report from SmartAsset, some cities in Georgia offer major savings for renters who choose to live with a roommate.
Here’s what to know.
Where can you save the most in Georgia?
The study ranks Augusta as the top city in Georgia for roommate savings, and No. 6 in the country.
Renters there can save about 45% on monthly rent, or roughly $450 per month, by sharing an apartment.
Here’s how the costs compare in Augusta:
- One-bedroom rent: $1,000
- Two-bedroom rent: $1,100
- Estimated monthly savings with a roommate: $450
Why are roommate savings so high?
With rent prices rising, splitting costs has become one of the easiest ways to cut monthly expenses.
The study shows that sharing rent can significantly reduce housing costs, especially in cities where prices have climbed in recent years.
How does Georgia compare to the rest of the country?
Here’s the top 10 cities in the US for saving with a roomate:
- Cleveland, OH
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Memphis, TN
- Boise, ID
- Augusta, GA
- New Haven, CT
- Chattanooga, TN
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Shreveport, LA
Methodology
The study analyzed 100 U.S. cities using rental data from March 2025 to March 2026 from Zumper, comparing one-bedroom rents to half the cost of two-bedroom apartments to estimate savings from sharing with a roommate.
For more information, visit smartasset.com/data-studies/roommate-savings-2026.
Vanessa Johns is the Trending Topics Reporter for the Deep South Connect Team Georgia. Email her at Vcountryman@gannett.com.
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