Currie "Lamarr" Bunn

Raleigh, NC – Currie “LaMarr” Bunn passed away Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at UNC Rex Hospital after complications from pneumonia and COVID. LaMarr was born in Edgecombe County, NC, on August 4, 1943, the only child of Luther Lamar Bunn and Mabel Currie Brown Bunn, both of whom preceded him in death.

After graduating from Needham B. Broughton High School in 1961, he obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from the School of Design at NC State University in 1966. Remaining in Raleigh, he was one of the first employees hired by Lewis Clarke (FALSA) and worked with Lewis from 1965 to 1969. As a landscape architect and land planner, he designed the plans for large scale golf resorts and communities, such as Palmetto Dunes on Hilton Head Island, SC, and Carolina Trace in Sanford, NC. He also worked on plans for large malls such as Tyson’s Corner and Landover Mall in Washington, DC. He later moved to Miami, FL, to plan golf courses and developments in Florida, Australia, Mexico, California, the Bahamas, and the Florida Keys. After moving to DC, he contributed to the development of large communities in Denver (The Pinery), Salt Lake City (Stansbury Park), New Orleans (Belle Terre), and Maryland (Village of Lake Linganor).

Returning to Raleigh, he worked with Jerry Turner & Associates on the Master Plan for the NC Zoo in Asheboro, NC. Moving again, he was the land planner for the Hidden Hills Community in Jacksonville, FL. For a year, he taught Landscape Architecture and Urban Design at Ball State University in Muncie, IN. Returning to Raleigh, he developed the Master Plan for Stonehenge Development and Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh as well as the rehabilitation plan for the Great Lawn in Central Park in NYC. In addition to larger projects, he worked with many homeowners to create special planting plans for their residences.

He took pride in his involvement with the professional organizations helping to develop next-generation landscape architects. He served in various capacities with the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB). The conventions of those associations allowed him the opportunity to participate in two of his favorite activities: travel and snow skiing. Travel included regular trips to Myrtle Beach, SC, for SOS (Shagging on the Sand). He also was a significant supporter of his beloved NC State University with season tickets that allowed him to tailgate with style at nearly every football and basketball game.

He is survived by his son, Kevin LaMarr Bunn of Houston, TX, and daughter, Kristin LaMarr Bunn of Salt Lake City, UT, and Kevin's son, Nicholas Steven Bunn of Raleigh, NC. Family and friends are very appreciative of the care and attention that former wives, Judy Tripp Wright and Carol Kimball Stahl gave to LaMarr for the last five years of his life.

He is also survived by numerous friends and business associates who became friends. His Phi Kappa Tau fraternity brothers were frequent visitors who would take him to lunch and visit during his too often stays at rehabilitation facilities due to declining health. Family also thanks the residents at Berkeley Spring apartments for giving him their friendship and attention, thus extending the time he was able to remain in independent living. All will miss him.

The interment of his cremains will be in the Memorial Garden at St. Michael’s Church in Raleigh during a private ceremony.

The family requests that any donations be made in his name to one of the following organizations or to one of your choice. The fund established by the American Society of Landscape Architects enables the ASLA to send students to their annual conventions: https://donorbox.org/2024studentcampaign

The NCSU College of Design has a Landscape Architecture Fund for Excellence that accepts donations to enhance its service to its students: https://give.ncsu.edu/design

Acknowledgement of his pride in these two organizations would be most appreciated.

Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh. Online condolences may be made at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com