Daniel Martin Bunnell was born March 9, 1955, in San Jose, California, the second of six children born to Albert and Thelma (Pool) Bunnell. He grew up on the family apricot orchard in the foothills of San José.

Dan developed a love of history early in life, influenced by the stories of his grandmother Helen (Foust) Bunnell, and her stories of her grandfather, Joseph Foust, a Civil War veteran. Helen was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Upon graduating from high school Dan served an apprenticeship as a machinist at Oliver Johnson’s machine shop in San José. After becoming a journeyman machinist Dan worked in several machine shops in the San Francisco Bay Area, including Ford Aerospace and NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View. While working as a Shop Foreman at NASA, Dan attended evening classes at San José State University, majoring in business management and quality systems.

Dan married in 1976 and had children. Amanda was born in 1983, and David was born in 1986. David was born with congenital hydrocephalus as the result of Fragile X syndrome, and required 12 brain surgeries by the time he was 5 years old.

After his divorce, Dan reconnected with his high school sweatheart Marcy Mattos in 2003. The pair found that they enjoyed many of the same activities — especially history, travel, and family. They were married in the historic 1896 Magalia Community Church in a beautiful Civil War wedding. Marcy immediately took to the SUVCW and was an integral part of the revitalization of the Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in California. She became a charter member of both the Dr. Mary E. Walker Auxiliary No. 52 and the Ivy Stiers Auxiliary No. 23, and was a Trustee of the Auxiliary’s Department of California and Pacific at the time of her unexpected passing on December 7, 2008.

On October 10, 2009, Dan married Sonja Johnson, caretaker and curator at the Centerville Museum and Historic Schoolhouse near Chico, California.

A bookstore owner and 50-year SUVCW member, Donald E. Cheney PDC, noticed Dan’s single-minded interest in Civil War books and recruited Dan into the Order in 1991. Dan served five terms as the Commander of the Phil Sheridan Camp No. 4 in San José, California.

Dan served two terms as Commander of the Department of California and Pacific. During his terms in office the Department went from one active camp to six. The Department won the U.S. Grant III Cup and the Augustus Davis Award for the most new camps and the largest increase in membership.

Dan used NASA’s T4 internet connection to host a SUVCW website in 1993. Dan served on the 1995/1996 National Communications Technology Committee during the development of the National website. Dan served on the National Committee on Program and Policy and the National Committee on Rituals and Ceremonies. Dan served as the National Chaplain for the 2014-2015 term.

Past Commander-in-Chief Charles W. Corfman mustered Dan into the Sons of Veterans Reserve (SVR) in 1994. He served as Chaplain of the 6th Military District, and as a member of Company C, 8th California Volunteer Infantry and as the Commander of the 3rd U.S. Light Artillery.

Dan’s Union ancestors included:

• Amos Faust of Company C, 21st Ohio Infantry
• Henry Faust of Company G, 21st Ohio Infantry
• Joseph Faust of Company H, 66th Ohio Infantry
• Henry W. Shaw of Company K, 14th Wisconsin Infantry

Dan lost a two-year long battle with cancer on August 8, 2020 at the age of 65.