Jessie Bunn Obituary, Death Cause – Jessie Thomas “Tommy” Bunn, who was a prominent leader in agriculture policy and marketing on both the national and state levels and who was also the husband of Elaine F. Marshall, the Secretary of State of North Carolina, passed away unexpectedly on Monday night after sustaining a traumatic brain event. His passing was announced by his wife. Mr. Bunn, who was born in Zebulon and is now 79 years old, was a former President of the United States Tobacco Cooperative. This position came after he spent 21 years in the tobacco industry serving as Executive Vice-President of the Leaf Tobacco Exporters Association and the Tobacco Association of the United States.
In addition to that, he worked for the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, District of Columbia, as the Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Agricultural Marketing Service Tobacco Division. Additionally, he worked for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under the direction of Commissioner Jim Graham. At that time, he was working in the capacity of a consultant for the cigarette business.
In addition to this, the North Carolina State Grange honoured him as Man of the Year in 1988, and in 2012, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at N.C. State University, from which he received a degree in Agriculture Business/Crop Science in 1966, honoured him as a Distinguished Alumni. In 1966, he graduated with a degree in Agriculture Business/Crop Science. On Monday evening, he died away while his family was there with him. He is survived by his wife, Secretary of State Marshall; his children, Brian Bunn and Juliana Bunn King and their spouses; and his grandchildren Connery Bunn, Alexis Bunn, Jordan King, Isabella King, and Jessie King. His wife, Secretary of State Marshall, is the current Secretary of State.
