BunzerGary Bunzer, a teacher and consultant who is affectionately known as ‘The RV Doctor’ in the RV industry, has passed away after falling ill to COVID-19, RV PRO has learned.
Bunzer had been hospitalized in Seattle for several weeks, suffering from the virus that has swept the nation. His passing was announced Saturday by friend and neighbor Chuck Woodbury, owner of the RV Travel website.
Bunzer’s career in the industry started in 1968 in Florida, helping his father in the RV repair business. After serving in the military, Bunzer relocated to California and started full-time at an aftermarket RV service facility in the San Diego area.
In 1976, he established Bunzer Consulting. At his father’s invitation, Bunzer began answering the RV-related questions posed to his father, who was then writing a popular consumer column about mobile homes.
The younger Bunzer’s column started out as “Gary Sez,” but at the request of a Pennsylvania publisher who wanted to give the title some extra pizazz, it was renamed “The RV Doctor.”
“I said he could call it anything he wanted as long as the check was good!” Bunzer recalled merrily in a 2016 interview with RV PRO. The nickname stuck and Bunzer was well on his way to a long and active career in RV journalism.
Meanwhile, Bunzer began providing dealers with on-site tech training and became a featured speaker at industry-sponsored educational expos, trade shows and national and regional consumer RV shows.
In 2009, the RV Industry Association honored Bunzer with its National Education Service Award for contributions to RV technical education. In 2016, Bunzer was inducted in the RV/MH Hall of Fame in recognition for his 40 years of service in the RV industry.
In his 2016 interview with RV PRO, which coincided with his induction into the Hall of Fame, Bunzer said that even after spending 40 years in the RV industry he had no intention of slowing down.
“I’m having so much fun,” he said at the time. “It’s exciting to see what the industry people come up with. There are some brilliant minds out there building a better RV and making life easier for an RVer.”
RVIA President Craig Kirby issued the following statement after learning of Bunzer’s passing:
Statement from RV Industry Association President Craig Kirby on the passing of Gary Bunzer,
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Gary Bunzer. There was no greater champion for RV technical education. As an association, we were fortunate to benefit from his service on numerous RV technical textbook review committees where he helped guide our education and certification efforts with his vast knowledge as an RV technician, educator, and training specialist. In his passionate work as the RV Doctor, he bettered the RV industry by making expert RV training instruction available to RV service technicians as well as RV enthusiasts through his popular website, seminars, books, magazine, and newsletter articles. … On behalf of our membership and staff, the RV Industry Association extends our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.”
RV PRO also extends its sympathy and condolences to Bunzer’s family.
“We were shocked and disheartened to learn of Gary’s passing,” said Editor-in-Chief Brad Worrell. “On behalf of everyone at RV PRO, we extend our deepest condolences to his family. He will be deeply missed by us and by his many friends in the RV industry.”
