John Walter Dunbar

John Walter Dunbar was born March 21, 1947 to Robert J Dunbar and Ruth Idleman Dunbar. He lived in Richmond, Virginia, with older sisters Ann and Gwen, until the family moved to Boston in 1952. Throughout his childhood, John saw extended family regularly, spending many summers and holidays with the Simmons, or time on the Ashby farm in West Virginia. For a couple of years, he had to wear a heavy brace on his right leg. While it slowed him down a bit, John would recall, with a bit of devilish pride, that he also used the brace to deliver nasty, weighted kicks to those who teased him about it.

That was all in the past when John went to Tufts University, where he received a bachelor's in political science. More important than the poli sci, though, at Tufts John met Sarah, who was studying occupational therapy. The two married and, in 1972, moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma as John began work at the Williams Companies.

With Robert having worked in natural gas for years, it should not have been surprising that John would work for an oil and gas company himself. He spent about 18 years with Williams, working their corporate strategy, pipeline, and exploration divisions. Following a merger, John worked as an independent consultant for several years, including doing some work for Enron (yes, that Enron). He may have met Jeff Skilling (yes, that Jeff Skilling) a time or two, but was never close enough to get in trouble, so that's all right.

In 1974, John and Sarah had their only child, Travis. Travis is not necessarily a reliable narrator, but he is pretty sure that John loved to do things with him. They played lots of soccer in the backyard, John always emphasizing using both the right and left foot. John taught Travis and his friends to play kick-the-can during a sleepover, playing with such enthusiasm that he dislocated his shoulder sliding in for a winning kick. They would bring home pizza from Shotgun Sam's, Travis manning a stopwatch while John drove at absurd speeds so that the pizza would arrive still hot. They went camping at all ages: from a trip to New Mexico where Travis saw the Milky Way for the first time, to backpacking trips in Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone. For several years, John and Travis went skiing over winter and spring breaks.

John enjoyed photography, from slides in the 1970s to digital in the 2010s. On a hike, he would always take pictures. At family gatherings, it was hard to find photos of him, as he was always the one behind the camera. He also enjoyed woodworking and cooking. He was a voracious reader, particularly of history, and particularly of Churchill (either by or about the man). His taste in fiction shifted over time, from Ludlum and other spy thrillers in the 70s and 80s, to JRR Tolkein, Frank Herbert, and Patrick O'Brian later in life.

Living in Tulsa, John was geographically close to none of his extended family. That did not stop him from staying close in spirit, however. He thought nothing of 15-hour drives if needed to see family, from New Mexico to North Carolina. Through the 70s and 80s, a July trip to a West Virginia state park for an extended family gathering was a staple of the summer. He traveled in full-sized SUVs, the back loaded down with tools, cooking gear, camera equipment, and whatever else he might need. His favorite rig was a green 2001 Toyota Sequoia that he drove for 500,000 miles.

More than he loved traveling with gear, though, John loved his dogs. He had a dear mutt, Beau, as a boy. In Travis's youth, Freddie the Cocker Spaniel joined John on any errands around town. But for 20-odd years, his great companions were one or two of Sam (Irish Setter), Gabriel and Galahad (both Golden Retrievers). They kept him company at home and on criss-crossing the country. He loved to walk with them racing in great circles around him. His final dog, Chopper, was a Dauschund who fit on the couch or in the recliner much better than some of his larger predecessors.

John found special joy in his grandchildren, Owen and Katherine. Given his driving ways, seeing them in Maryland or Dallas was no trouble at all. And of course he took plenty of pictures to document each visit. When they were young, Owen and Katherine played with the wooden blocks that Papa John had once made for their own dad.

In March 2020, John suffered a severe stroke, which necessitated a move from Tulsa to Dallas, and extensive assistance with daily life. John's family is grateful for the care he received from Sharnia and the staff at Avendelle. It was not the life he had been living, but he was loved and respected, and made some friends he otherwise would never had known. 

Over his life, John moved westward, from the East Coast to Oklahoma. His heart went further; his favorite place to visit was the Rocky Mountains, anywhere from New Mexico to Canada. He wished for his ashes to be taken to the Tetons, which we will do this summer.