Bennie Bustamante

He enlisted in the US Air Force at age 17 in 1959 and shortly thereafter met his wife Marietta Gutberlet while assigned as an Airman to Lindsay Air Station in Wiesbaden, Germany. While in Wiesbaden, Marietta and Bennie had two sons, Antonius Kieran and Bennie Jr.

Bennie served in the US Air Force active duty with distinction for 22 years including a war zone tour in Cam Rahn Bay, S.Vietnam as well as tours at the Pentagon, and Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. His final duty station on USAF active duty was at Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany where he completed his US Air Force active duty career as Executive Officer, HQ US European Command (EUCOM) in Stuttgart, retiring in 1981 as a Master Sargeant (E-7). While in the US Air Force he graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Maryland.

After retiring from the USAF, Bennie moved to Alexandria, VA and worked in the Personnel Dept of the City of Alexandria, VA. He then entered civilian service with the Department of Defense and Department of the Army, serving his country for another 20 years at various commands including MDW, Ft. Myer in Arlington, VA, Military Traffic Command, Ft. Eustis in Newport News, VA, US Army in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, Picatinny Arsenal in Wharton, NJ, and concluding his civilian career with the Army Personnel Command at Hoffman Building, Alexandria, VA.

Bennie and Marietta moved to Boca Raton, FL in 2010 and spent their retirement and golden years enjoying the tropical weather and relaxed South Florida lifestyle.

Bennie was known for always keeping physically fit and continued with strenuous weightlifting and running routines deep into retirement. He also had a passion for travel, languages (speaking English, Spanish, German, and French), good food and wine, and of course horse racing.

Bennie survived his wife Marietta, who passed away in 2019, and is survived by his two sons A. Kieran Bustamante of Fairfax, VA, and Bennie Bustamante, Jr. of Cincinnati, OH as well as 6 grandchildren: Mathias, Antonia, Danny, Marilena, Kalina, and Antony. He survived his sister Rachel Cannon and brother Tony Zuniga and is survived by brothers Mario Zuniga of San Angelo, TX, David Zuniga of Huntsville, TX, and Ricky Zuniga of San Antonio, TX, and sisters Stella Trevino, Syliva Sepulveda, and Rebecca Vigil, all of San Angelo, TX. He also very much loved his daughters-in-law, Diana Bustamante and Lisa Bustamante.

Bennie will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery alongside his beloved wife Marietta.