Will-Matthis Dunn, Jr.

Will-Matthis Dunn, Jr. of Kerrville, beloved husband, father, and grandfather went to be with his Heavenly Father Saturday, October 31, 2015, at the age of 76. A Memorial Service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 11, 2015, at First United Methodist Church in Kerrville with the Rev. Donna Magee and the Rev. Phillip Hoeflinger officiating.
"Bill" Dunn was born to Will-Matthis and Margaret Rudd Dunn in Patterson, New Jersey on December 4, 1938. His father was a Navy Chaplain during WW II, so the family lived in many places, finally settling in Texas when Bill was in Jr. High School. He attended Texas College of Arts & Industries, in Kingsville, Texas, before getting his appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, after getting his Bachelor of Science degree from the Academy, he was assigned to the USS McCord. His subsequent ships were the USS Hawkins, the USS Schofield, the USS Joseph Kennedy, and the USS America. His other assignments were various Naval Schools, including the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey California, where he received his degree in Electrical Engineering, and the Guided Missiles School in Dam Neck, Virginia, where he was an instructor. His last Naval Duty Station was at China Lake, California, at the Naval Research and Development Center as an Operations Research Analyst.
Bill met his lifelong love, Carolyn, when he returned to Kerrville to visit his parents after graduating from the Naval Academy. She had just returned to Kerrville to visit her parents upon graduating from Asbury University that same summer, 1961. After marrying Carolyn in January 1962, the Dunn's enjoyed the Navy life and lived in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Virginia, South Carolina, Florida, California, and Washington State. Bill loved the Navy and getting together with his Navy buddies. They could talk ships and weapons systems until the wee hours of the morning. After his naval retirement, Bill continued to work for the Naval Weapons Center in Civil Service for twelve more years as an Operations Research Analyst.
After long naval cruises in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, he loved coming home to be with his family and enjoyed the moves up and down the coasts and cross-country moves. It was a time when he could be with just his family and always made time for vacation and historical trips with his wife, son, Will-Matthis Dunn, III and daughter, Laurie Dunn. When he was at home, he volunteered at different venues. In Virginia Beach, he was the troop master for a handicapped Boy Scout troop. In California, he was a senior high youth advisor, Missions Chairman, Sunday School Teacher and Naval Chapel Council Member. In Kerrville, he attended First United Methodist and volunteered as a Stephen Minister and Stephen Ministry Leader, sang in the chancel choir, on the Missions Committee and Leader of Missions Committee, went on Mission trips, was in an Emmaus Reunion Group, and various other things for the church.
Bill was also quite a jokester and had a great sense of humor, along with a great big smile. He loved teasing his family and especially his wife. He loved people and was a good friend.
He loved to read and was quite a scholar. He would delve into books and then take them apart analytically. He could not resist telling others about what a great book he had just read. He loved reading history, especially about World War II , the Civil War, and other works about history and politics.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Will-Matthis and Margaret Dunn. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Carolyn; his son, Will-Matthis Dunn, III and his wife Melinda of Spring, Texas; his daughter, Laurie J. Dunn of California; his sisters, Bee Campbell of Los Angeles, California, and Bettsy Curtis and husband, Dale of Wilmington, North Carolina; brothers, Lew Dunn and his wife, Sue of Longview, Texas, and Mark Dunn and his wife, Lynn of Sherman Oaks, California; his granddaughter, Claire Marie Dunn of Spring Texas; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Kerrville First United Methodist Church, to the National Cancer Society, or to the charity of your choice.
The family invites you to leave a message or memory at www.kerrvillefuneralhometx.com. Select obituaries, select "sign guestbook" at the top right of the individual memorial.
Funeral arrangements are under the personal care of the professionals at Kerrville Funeral Home.

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