Walter L. M. Dunbar

1928 - 2021

WALTER L. M. DUNBAR

August 26, 1928 October 6, 2021

Walter L. M. Dunbar passed away Wednesday, October 6, 2021 in Bakersfield, CA. He was 93 years old.

Walt was a native Californian, born in Los Angeles. His family moved to Rio Vista, California for his third grade and he called it home until graduating from Stanford University. He obtained Bachelor and Masters Petroleum Engineering degrees and went to work for Standard Oil in Taft, California in 1951. He married his first wife, Laura Ellen Spencer in 1954. Shortly after, he went through Officer Candidate School and served three years with the Navy Sea Bees as a Korean War veteran. He served as Equipment Officer on an admiral's staff for the Pacific Ocean Area.

Following his release from the Navy in 1958 he worked in management positions for Honolulu Oil, Franco Western and Golden Bear in Taft, Bakersfield and Ventura, California and Billings, Montana. In 1969 he accepted a managerial position in Port Hueneme, California, helping to establish the Navy's world-wide environmental program. In 1975, he went to work for the Navy at Elk Hills as Director of Engineering for the Naval Petroleum Reserve outside of Bakersfield. Later he became the Government's Member of the Elk Hills Operating Committee, jointly managing field-wide operations with Chevron's member. After open-up in 1976 Elk Hills became the largest producing field in California and second largest in the US. It averaged 2.1 million dollars per day to the US Treasury during his tenure. He retired from the Government in 1996 and continued a petroleum engineering consulting career started some years earlier. He was a licensed Professional Petroleum Engineer. He enjoyed working in the oil patch right up to his death.

His oldest son, Michael, was born in 1957 followed by son William in 1961 and daughter Janice in 1964. In 1989 he married the love of his life, Marilynn (Lynn) Clark Usedom, who he met on the tennis courts in Yuba City, California. They resided in Bakersfield.

He is survived by Marilynn, his two sons and daughter, their spouses, and 8 grandchildren. In his wife's family he is survived by a son and daughter and three grandchildren, whom he thought of as his own. His brother William Ted Everet Dunbar predeceased him.

Walt enjoyed the outdoors and being active. He was an Eagle Scout with Gold and Silver Palms. He then went on to Sea Scouts. He quarterbacked his high school football team to a championship in his senior year and was the leading scorer that year. In college he participated in football, rugby, soccer and crew. He was a Stanford Block S recipient. He loved to work at his cabins at Bass Lake and Lake Tahoe. He thoroughly enjoyed sailing. He enjoyed woodwork in his full shop of tools. And he continued playing tennis four times a week until the end.

He was president of his high school senior class. He was president of his college fraternity chapter, Chi Psi at Stanford. He was Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Unit while in Billings, Montana. He was proud to say he was promoted in every job he ever had. He was also pleased that in his consulting work, each time he served as an Expert Witness, the case was satisfactorily settled following his deposition and before going to trial. He served as local chapter officers and on the Boards of Directors for the Society of Petroleum Engineers and American Petroleum Institute. His parents were William H. K. (Krug) Dunbar and Jane Wilkinson Maas. Krug, also a graduate of Stanford University, was a noted pioneer in oil and gas engineering and developed and operated the Rio Vista Gas Field, California's largest at one time.

Walt died peacefully with his wife and sons by his side.

A celebration of Walt's life will be held at the Westminster Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall in Bakersfield on Monday, October 11 at 12:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, Walt requested contributions to the Southern Sierra Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 2417 M Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301.

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