Alston Gunter Jr., who worked on a Baltimore County estate, died of cancer Jan. 21 at his Reisterstown home. He was 84.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the son of Alston Gunter Sr., a Bethlehem Steel worker, and Rose Davis, a homemaker. His family moved to Accomac, Va., where he attended public schools. He later moved to Baltimore's West Franklin Street.

Mr. Gunter was a masonry worker for the Walter Chrismer Co., Empire Construction, Baltimore Contractors and Victor Construction.

For the past 30 years, he worked at Nancy Lee Farms in Glyndon, where he was an animal handler and did landscaping work.

“He was well suited to farm life, as his gentle nature and appreciation of all creatures great and small made him an ideal match for the countryside,” said Nancy Lee Farms owner Victor “Bruz” Frenkil Jr. “He was a devoted friend, and he cultivated long friendships.”

Mr. Gunter enjoyed gardening and cared for horses, goats, donkeys, cats, dogs and chickens at the Butler Road farm.

Mr. Frenkil said that a thoroughbred racehorse was named in Mr. Gunter's honor.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Unity United Methodist Church, 1433 Edmondson Ave., where Mr. Gunter was a longtime member.

Survivors include five sons, Joseph, Arthur, Harris, Garrett and Alston Gunter III, all of Baltimore; a daughter, Fannie Scott of Baltimore; two sisters, Shirley Lawson of Catonsville and Darlene Battle of Baltimore; seven grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His wife of 40 years, Gertha Stroman, died in 1998.

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—?Jacques Kelly