Dr. James Ralph Dunn Jr.

Dr. James Ralph Dunn, Jr of Cary, NC died July 9, 2009. Dr. Dunn was born in Sumter, SC on November 19, 1923 to Ann Nash Dunn and Dr. James Ralph Dunn, Sr. Dr. Dunn was the eldest of four children and was predeceased by his youngest brother, William Dunn. Dr. Dunn was educated at Sumter High School, Davidson College (1943), received his Masters in Physiology at Emory University, completed medical school and began his residency at Johns Hopkins, finished his residency and fellowship in General and Thoracic Surgery at Baylor with Drs. Denton Cooley and Michael DeBakey. Dr. Dunn was involved in World War II by driving a tank called the “Dixie Doughnut” into Pilsen, Czeckoslovakia and liberating the town along with the 16th Armored Infantry Division in May, 1945. In 1966, he took time out from a busy surgical practice to volunteer to serve injured and sick Vietnamese civilians in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho. Later, he achieved the rank of Colonel after serving in the Army, the Army National Guard and the Air Force. He spent his working career as a general and thoracic surgeon in private practice in Tarboro, NC (1958–1968) and Laurinburg, NC (1968-1981). In 1981, he rejoined the military to serve as a surgeon in the Air Force: Warner Robbins (1981-1984) and Wright-Patterson (1984-1988). He finished his surgical career as attending surgeon at the Dorothea Dix hospital in Raleigh, NC (1988-1993). He enjoyed hunting, fishing, reading, playing the clarinet, making people laugh, and traveling. He is survived by his wife, Gail Bailey Dunn and her two children, Jennifer Bailey Campbell and Joy Bailey Broughton (Paul). Dr. Dunn was predeceased by his eldest son, James Ralph Dunn, III. He is survived by his remaining 4 children (born to Louise Lofgren Dunn), John Dunn (Jo), Mike Dunn (Robin), Laurie Dunn (Crawford Crenshaw), and Scott Dunn (Rebecca). He is also survived by his brother, Shepard Nash Dunn (Jenny) and sister, Alice Lightsey (Tann) and a special niece, Elaine D. Peake. He has 11 grandchildren, and numerous other nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary, NC on Saturday, July 11 at 1:00 PM. The family will receive friends immediately following the service. The family requests donations, in lieu of flowers, be made to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 27584, Raleigh, NC 27611 or Boys and Girls Homes of NC, P.O. Box 127, Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450. Condolences may be sent through the guest book at www.brownwynne.com.