John Daniel Dunlap Jr.

1941 - 2019

John Daniel Dunlap, Jr. April 3, 1941 - July 3, 2019 Ramona A Michigan native, John Daniel Dunlap, Jr. was born in Cass City on April 3, 1941, to Jack and Emma (Finkbeiner) Dunlap. He grew up in Michigan's "thumb" on a farm that had been in his family since the 1880s with his sisters, Phyllis (Czapla) and Janice (Smith) with a vast extended family close by. Both the location of John's early years spent in a farming community and his proximity to many generations of his family left a profound impact on how he lived. John was especially close to his sisters and their husbands and children throughout his lifetime. He attended Cass City High School where he excelled in track and football. After completing high school, John went to work for Walbro Corp. in Cass City, then for R. J. Fox Construction in nearby Caro.In 1961 John started a 56-year career with Allied Van Lines working for Potter Moving and Storage out of Royal Oak, Michigan that continued through Potter B&C in Whittier, California and from 1981 to 2017 with Atlas Transfer and Storage in San Diego County, California working with his brother and sister in law Tommy and Linda Oakley. During his long career with Allied Van Lines, he held many positions, including the local and long-distance driver, warehouseman, warehouse manager, dispatcher, operations manager, and salesman. He estimated that he had traveled over five million miles on Allied company business and visited all of the lower 48 states during his long and productive tenure with the company and its fine agents.In 1958, John married Karen Matthews in Decker, Michigan. John and Karen had two sons, John III born in 1959 and Scott Leigh born in 1963. They moved from Sterling Heights, Michigan to California in 1970 settling in the Ontario/Upland area where the boys grew up and started their families. His sons now live in Mount Baldy, CA and San Francisco, CA.In 1980, he married Janis Boland of Gross Pointe Farms, Michigan, in nearby Dearborn. They settled in the San Diego area and welcomed two children, Ashley Winthrop born in 1981 and Elizabeth Emma born in 1983 into their family. They soon moved to Ramona, California where they spent many happy years raising their kids and being active in youth/school sports and local service clubs. Ashley resides in Poway and Elizabeth in El Cajon.During his time in Ramona, John was well known for his involvement in supporting youth sports and in refusing evacuation for the 2003 Cedar Fire, one of the largest wildfires in California history staying put for over a week as the sole neighborhood resident, feeding/watering/protecting neighborhood pets and property and reporting regularly on their status to very concerned neighbors and friends. His efforts saved many beloved animals and put himself in grave danger doing so. He was a loving and kind pet owner throughout his life, enjoying caring for his pets and those of his extended family and friends.John was a common-sense oriented man, often expressing a philosophy of sticking to family priorities, being kind and helpful to others and serving his family and neighbors whenever possible. As a result, he has nurtured and sustained many long-term friendships throughout his life. John was an avid outdoorsman who loved to fish and hunt. He spent many happy mornings on San Diego area lakes in his small boat fishing and bird hunting in Imperial County. He also loved pursuing deer in northern California, southern Oregon, and Michigan's thumb region.John passed away in El Cajon on July 3rd, in addition to his wife and sisters and four children, John leaves 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren in California, Nevada, and Utah and many nieces and nephews in Michigan and Idaho.Please join our family to celebrate the Life of John Daniel Dunlap Jr.. on Friday, July 26, 2019, at 10:00 am, Rancho Bernardo Inn, 17550 Bernardo Oaks Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. Please sign the guest book online at legacy.com/obituaries/ ramonasentinel