Leroy Tunnell

LeRoy Tunnell, age 90, died peacefully in his sleep in Copley on Tuesday, March 5, 2019 at Concordia at Sumner.

The Akron native attended Buchtel High School before serving in the U.S. Army in Germany and Austria.  He subsequently attended Ohio State University and then earned his medical degree from Western Reserve University.  He accepted a commission in the Army Medical Corps as a First Lieutenant and completed his residency at Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu.   After his service, he went into private practice as a doctor in Kentucky where he was honored by the governor as a Kentucky Colonel for his philanthropic service.  He later completed his specialty in ophthalmology at Case Western Reserve and served as an eye surgeon in Akron until his retirement in 1997.  He was an accomplished pilot and volunteer for the Young Eagle’s program in which he took 1,348 underprivileged youth on their first airplane flights.  He enjoyed photography, painting, playing piano, tennis, and gardening among his many hobbies and is remembered for his generosity and philanthropy.

Dr. Tunnell is survived by Marian, his wife of 57 years; his sister, Nancy Parker and her children, Elizabeth Parker and Stephen (Diane) Parker; his great nephews, Cole (Lindsay) and Cory Butcher, Chase Parker;  great-great nieces, Brooklyn and Bailey; his cousins, Henry Tunnell and Jim (Joanne) Brock; special friend and caregiver, Dijana; and by his sister-in-law, Joan Ammerman and her sons, David (Susan), John (Karen), and William (Christina) Ammerman; 9 great nieces and nephews; and 3 great-great nieces and nephews.

A private service was held on March 7th at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church followed by internment at Rose Hill Burial Park.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be made to one of three charities: 1) The Akron Garden Club- English Garden Fund at Stan Hywet, P.O. Box 13343 Fairlawn, Ohio 44334, 2) The Flower Guild at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1361 W. Market Street Akron, Ohio 44313 or 3) The Young Eagles in Dr. Tunnell’s honor using the online form at https://bit.ly/2NKF7r9.  (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel)