Musser Family Donates History of Military Service to Oneonta Veterans Museum

By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA

Alex and Joan Musser, dairy farmers from Garrattsville, had seven children. Six of their seven children either served in the U.S. military or married individuals who served our country.

On June 21, the Musser family donated a large-framed collage of their military service to the Oneonta’s Veterans Museum, housed with American Legion Post 259. It features photographs of four servicemen pictured with three different U.S. presidents: President Ronald Reagan, President George H. W. Bush and President George W. Bush.

Margaret [Musser] Bunnell proudly pointed to the photo of her husband with President Reagan. Margaret, the second oldest sibling, joined the U.S. Army after graduating from SUNY Oneonta. When she served in Germany, she met and married Ronald Bunnell, whose first assignment in the Army was with the White House Communications Agency.

Ronald Bunnell served at the White House from 1986-1993 under three presidents: Reagan, the elder Bush and Clinton. Bunnell called his family’s history of military service a “once-in-a-lifetime story [that] needs to be told.”

He said, “It’s amazing to realize that one family had six of seven siblings tied to the U.S. military and even more astonishing that this one family has ties to five different presidents.”

During their 20-plus years of military service, some also served President Barack Obama, bringing the total to five presidents served from 1981-2013.

All seven siblings graduated from Morris High School and several graduated from SUNY Oneonta. They reunited in Oneonta for a family wedding the weekend of June 22, coming from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Alabama.

Anne Marie, Margaret, Kevin, AJ, Merredith, Alison and Nicole Musser all visited American Legion Post 259 to present their gift to legion Commander Terry Harkenreader.

Retired Army Master Sergeant Ronald Bunnell was not able to attend due to a work conflict.

AJ Musser gave his brother-in-law, Bunnell, all the credit for collecting all the pieces of his family’s history of service. He said, “Ron got it framed and matted and collected all the pieces.”

Bunnell provided the details of his family’s history of military service.

He said, “Anne Marie [Musser] married a man from Rochester, New York, who served in the U.S. Navy Reserves and retired in 2012 after 27 years.”

Margaret Musser served in the U.S. Army and retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2015 after 24 years of service. Her husband is Ronald Bunnell.

The oldest son, Kevin Musser, served in the U.S. Navy and is married to his wife, Terri, who served in the Air Force. Kevin’s son, Kevin Jr., is the one getting married.

Alex Musser Jr., better known as AJ, served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years.

He said, “I was a security officer in charge of physical security.”

Bunnell elaborated, “AJ served in the Navy and was assigned to Camp David in Maryland from 2004-2007, serving under President [George] H.W. Bush.”

AJ said, “I served during the Persian Gulf War. I was stationed in Hawaii and was never deployed.”

Now he lives in West Oneonta.

Merredith Musser serves her community as a home health aide in Pennsylvania.

Alison [Musser] Kephart married John Kephart, who is pictured with President George H.W. Bush in the framed gift. Kephart is a retired U.S. Army master sergeant who served nearly 24 years.

Bunnell said, “Margaret [and I] introduced our daughter, Alison, to her husband, John. John was [my] best friend in the Army and also worked at the White House from 1985-1992, serving with presidents Reagan and Bush senior.”

Nicole Musser married Mark McLean from Edmeston. McLean is a retired U.S. Air Force master sergeant. Bunnell said, “Nicole’s husband Mark…worked on Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland from 2008-2015, serving under presidents H.W. Bush and Obama.”

Bunnell said, “As we lead up to another 4th of July holiday, think about the service this family has given to our great nation and the direct service to our residents. Remember our freedom and remember to thank those who have served to preserve our freedoms and our way of life. God bless the United States of America and God bless our military.”

Barry Townsend of Oneonta, curator of the American Legion Museum, was on hand to accept the generous gift. He served in the U.S. Navy for 21 years and retired as chief.

In the past year and a half, he, Sharon Parshall and George Sluti created the Oneonta Veterans Museum from scratch.

The museum is full of memorabilia donated by local veterans. It is free and open to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-5 p.m., on Saturdays from 1-3 p.m., or by appointment.