WWII veteran, 90, graduates from college

You're never too old to learn something new.

Walter Bunker, a 90-year-old World War II veteran, earned his college diploma this past weekend at Xavier University in Cincinnati, WLWT reports.

Bunker, who attended several other colleges, including Notre Dame, when he was a younger man, told WLWT that he was two credits short of earning his degree. He contacted Xavier, and the university sent a professor to Bunker's apartment to work with him on an independent study course.

Bunker, who has 10 children, wrote two short stories to earn the credits required. He told WLWT that after he submitted his work, the professor called him with good news, saying that he should start sending out invitations to his graduation.

When asked by reporters about his plans now that he has graduated, Bunker joked that he thinks he may have to "start looking for a job. I thought perhaps I might be a cowboy. I always wanted to do that. To get on my cayuse with a gal and ride off into the sunset."

Bunker said three of his stories are being published in a book called "Change Happens." He also told WLWT that he was recently told that he'd received a call from his oncologist telling him that his lung cancer was gone.

While serving in World War II, Bunker flew combat missions over France and Germany, WCPO reports.

And though he only recently graduated, Bunker, who worked in real estate, did teach at the college level, according to Xavier University's interview.

“UC (the University of Cincinnati) wanted to develop a course in real estate in their business school, and I happened to be on their real estate board at the time," Bunker said. "They assigned me to teach the history of real estate."

While Bunker's accomplishment is no doubt impressive, he isn't the oldest person to ever graduate from college. In 2011, a 99-year-old Oregon man earned his associates degree from Eastern Oregon University and set a record in the process.

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