David Wunder

David Hart Wunder, who served as the Illinois Securities Commissioner for 10 years, the President of the North American Securities Administrators Association (1982) and practiced law with his wife, Mary Ann (Koestner) Wunder, for 30 years in Indianapolis, died December 23, 2017 in Indianapolis.  He was 92.

Dave was born on December 6, 1925 in Argo, IL to M.B. Wunder, II and Marion (Richcreek) Wunder.  Although he spent much of his early life in Illinois, his Hoosier connections were strong.  His mother’s family homesteaded outside Warsaw, IN on the “Hart Farm,” which remains in the family.  The Wunders left Argo and joined family in Speedway, IN during the Depression and Dave was a proud 1950 graduate of Indiana’s Wabash College.

Dave served in the 38th Division of the U.S. Army in Luzon, Philippines (1944-46) where he received the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon and Bronze Star.  He was an active member of the American Legion and helped build Post 50 in Blue Island, IL where he was elected Commander in 1958 and the District Commander of the Eighth District of the First Division of the Department of Illinois in 1972.

After the war, Dave and his brother, M.B. Wunder, III (“Red”), were home contractors in Chicago until Red got tired of paying lawyers and sent Dave to IIT-Chicago Kent School of Law.  In 1962, Dave graduated as President of his class with his J.D.

As the Illinois Securities Commissioner, he strongly believed that the State should vet the companies who sold stocks in the state.  “I think the public needs more protection.”  When the Legislature and his boss, Secretary of State Jim Edgar, changed the law, Dave resigned in 1982.  “I don’t think the Secretary of State was comfortable with my position and I certainly wasn’t comfortable with what happened to Illinois Securities Law.”

Dave’s first wife, Shirley (Dahlin) Wunder, his youngest son, Theodore Joseph Wunder, and his brother, Mylton B. “Red” Wunder, III, predeceased him.  Dave is survived by his wife, Mary Ann (Koestner) Wunder; his children, Rebecca Wunder Watson and David Hart Wunder, II; his granddaughter, Samantha Hart Wunder; his sister-in-law, Arletta (Cox) Wunder, and her son, Steve Wunder, and his children and grandchildren; and his cousin, Betty Jean (Stephens) Celletti.

Dave will be remembered for his situational sense of humor.  He loved to “kid” his family, friends and those he met, like Gladys who quickly became “old Happy Bottom.”  Dave enjoyed having fun by dressing in colorful clothes, plaids and the American flag motif being particular favorites, and he collected and wore over 1000 ties – no holiday lacked a tie.  His family will miss his role as the “glue” who kept them connected through his regular phone calls updating them on the Wunder family.

Dave will be buried with military honors at the Marion National Cemetery in Marion, IN on March 30, 2018 at 2 p.m.