Gerald Glenn Dunham

Gerald Glenn Dunham passed from this life peacefully in his home in Inola, Ok with his family surrounding him on the 12th of January 2026. He was 89 years old.

He was born December 27th 1936 in Tulsa, OK to Bessie Viola Biby Dunham and Fred Mackey Dunham.

Gerald attended Gregory and Inola schools. It was while in high school that he was eyeing Shirley Dyer, and evidently had caught her eye also, when a friend of Shirley's, who was also Gerald's cousin said, "why don't you ask her out?" He didn't think she would go out with him, but his cousin said she would and that's where it all began.

On May 22, 1955, Shirley's 17th birthday, they married at Willeo Baptist church, Inola OK.

Gerald was a brick layer and followed the jobs. They travelled to Midland, TX….Lawrence, KS….. Memphis Tn, and West Memphis AR…..They would pack up their old car with their belongings and head to the next destination.

Gerald came to Christ when he was in his mid 20's by a fellow brick layer and later baptized at Faith Baptist Church Tulsa OK. He attended church for many years at Baptist churches and later Inola Christian Church.

When Brenda turned school age they decided it was time to settle down and moved first to Tiawah and then eventually settling just south of where Gerald grew up in the community known as Gregory.

During his years Gerald had many hobbies.

He loved to ride horses and went to many rodeos doing team roping.

He loved to coon hunt and had many treeing walker coonhounds. He also became a CB radio enthusiast and his handle was Muddober. He loved hunting, fishing and archery.

After about 30 years of bricklaying his back gave out and he started working at the Inola Public Schools.

One of his greatest things he liked to do was watch Jeff playing football. He went to every game and carried the equipment for the team. Gerald was the president of the Quarterback club and made VCR tapes available to all who wanted them. He watched these VCR tapes of Jeffs games over and over again.

He was a hands on Dad and was at every sporting event, school play etc that Brenda and Jeff were involved in. He meant what he said and as kids we learned that we better listen to what he said or there would be consequences.

As loving as he was he became especially so when the grandkids and later the great grandkids began to come. He became PaPa and there was no other like him. They were his world and he was theirs. He always had a lap to sit on and a soft shoulder to lay their head.

He had a strong relationship with his kids, their spouses, grandkids and great grandkids. He had a especially close bond with his great grandson Chooch. They went everywhere together and Chooch would hold his hand and even at age 9 curl up in his PaPas lap.

Gerald had 2 children, 6 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Gerald is survived by:

his daughter Brenda and her husband David Wilson of Inola and son Jeff Dunham and his wife Shelley of Choctaw, OK. Grandkids Joni (Jerome) Sterling, Thomas (Ashley) Wilson, Jim Wilson, Ben Wilson, Tyler (Riley) Dunham and Jackson Dunham. Great grandkids Lucas (Aubri) Wilson, Wyatt Sterling, Colbie Wilson, Striker aka Chooch Wilson, Emery Dunham and Kenni Wilson. Sister Mary(Bob) Williamson, sister in law Patty Dunham, Brother in law Tommy (Norma) Dyer, sister in law Floy Dyer and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his Wife Shirley, daughter Deborah, parents Fred and Bessie, brothers Sonny and Dwight.