The family of George Vincent Dunn Jr. respectfully wishes to announce that George passed away on April 7, 2015 at age of 87 years in San Antonio, TX.
George was born September 18, 1927 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to the late George Vincent Dunn Sr. and Ruby Carr Dunn. He had been a resident of Tyler, TX since 1990 before moving to San Antonio, TX in 2012 to spend time with his eldest daughter, Cathy Dunn Blackwell-Sabowitz. He married Lois Mae Tubbs on December 27, 1947 in Tulsa, Oklahoma at All Souls Unitarian Church. They were married for 64 years before she passed away in 2011. They were a very close and devoted couple.
George graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1945 where he was captain of the band. Throughout his career he was able to mix his love of music with his engineering and geological profession. He attended Tulsa University through 1945-1947 and later graduated the University of Oklahoma in 1950 with a B.S. in Geological Engineering. He was a member of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, the University of Tulsa Geological Society, Phi Mu Alpha Synfonia Honorary Music Society, and Kappa Kappa Psi honorary Music Fraternity.
He began his career with Sinclair Oil Company which later merged with ARCO and experienced multiple transfers to towns in Oklahoma, Illinois and, later, Texas. Much of his career was spent in Beaumont and Houston, Texas where he experienced tremendous excitement as the company began aggressively drilling offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. After retirement, he and Lois moved to Tyler, TX to be closer to son, Ken Dunn's, family and shared many good times playing golf at Willow Brook Country Club and playing trumpet in multiple bands in the East Texas area including the Tyler Big Band. While he was mostly noted for his jazz influenced trumpet playing, he was also a very talented vocalist and piano player.
He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Ken and Sherry Dunn of Tyler, daughter Evelyn Dunn of Denton, TX and daughter and son-in-law Cathy Dunn Blackwell-Sabowitz and Brian Sabowitz of San Antonio, TX. Extended family members include five grandkids; Bradley Steiger of Denton, TX, Travis (Robin) Dunn of Houston, TX, Cera (John) Mattingly of Kensington, MD, Liz (Gabriel) Powell of Houston, TX, Elisa Blackwell (Dustin Maples, fiancée) of Tucson, AZ, five great-grandchildren, four nephews and two nieces. He was a genuinely kind and positive spirited person and will be missed by all who knew him.
Graveside services will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, April 11 at 3:00, officiated by Rev. Debra Garfinkel. In lieu of flowers, if desired memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas Foundation (Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd , Tyler, TX 75701) or to Christus Hospice (Friends of CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Foundation?100 Northeast Loop 410, Suite 706?San Antonio, TX 78216-4700). Moore's Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com