John Dunk, 91 years old of LaPorte, IN, passed away at 3:50 A.M. on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 in LaPorte Hospital.
He was born on February 20, 1920 in Lafayette, IN, Son of the late Russell E. and Maude Alberta (Bolyard) Dunk. John had been a resident of LaPorte County since 1947.
On December 24, 1943, in West Lebanon, IN, he married Laura Ellen Day who passed away March 10, 2007.
He is survived by a daughter: Janice Resler of Kokomo; son: Jeffrey Dunk of LaPorte; 8 grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Dunk; his parents; daughter: Jeannine Bowell of LaPorte; grandson: Jonathan Dunk of LaPorte; son-in-law: Harold D. Resler of Kokomo; and sister: Louise Kasten of Tucson, AZ. .
Mr. Dunk was a member of the First United Methodist Church in LaPorte and retired superintendent of the South Central Community School Corporation. In 1947 he began his teaching career at Wanatah High School where he taught and coached for five years. In 1949 while at Wanatah High School, he received a certificate of merit and outstanding teacher award, in recognition for results attained in the educational profession and community. He spent five years as principal of Mill Creek School and five years as principal of Rolling Prairie High School. For eighteen years he served as superintendent of South Central Community School Corporation. He served on numerous local and state educational committees as well as local organizations and was a Mason & Shriner in the Scottish Rite. He held membership in the state and national association of Secondary School Principals and American Association of School Administrators. He held teaching and administrative degrees from Indiana State University and Indiana University. He was a mentor in the HOSTS Program at Handley School, a member of the LaPorte County Fair Board 4-H Scholarship Committee, and a member in the Beechwood Men's Club.
In 1977 he visited Educational Facilities and Programs in the Soviet Union. This program was sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa International. Over one hundred U.S. school superintendents and university educators were chosen from the fifty states to participate in this program. They visited elementary, Jr.-Sr. High Schools, and Universities over a two week period.
After retirement from education in 1980 he worked three years for Municipal Finance Corporation in South Bend. The firm is a bonding company that provides funding for new educational structures, renovation of existing facilities, and new equipment for Indiana Schools.
He was a amatuer hunter of Indiana artifacts with a sizable collection of Indiana arrowheads and scrapers. In the summers after grain was harvested on the family farm in Tippecanoe County he spent several summers shocking wheat and oats and thrashing the grain on a large farm near Fargo, North Dakota.
He was a U.S. Army Corporal in the 26th Regiment of the First Infantry Division during World War II and received three Bronze Stars for the Algerian, Tunisian, and the Sicillian Compaign. He also received the Combat Infantryman's badge, two purple hearts, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Good Conduct Metal.
In September of 2007 he was in the PBS TV series Echoes of War, stories of the Big Red One. This was a program about the U.S. Army in Africa and Sicily during World War II where Dunk served. It was filmed by Ball State University and Ken Burns along with the WTTW Chicago in Wheaton, IL. He also did a documentary for Ball State Univeristy History Department and the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. for the Veteran's History Project as a copy to the Minnetrista for their archives.
There will be a Celebration of Life Service at 10:30 A.M.(C.S.T.) on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, LaPorte, IN. with Rev. Evan Lash officiating.
There will be a time of visitation from 2:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, January 13, 2012 at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, LaPorte, IN and also from 9:30 A.M. until the time of service on Saturday at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Interment will follow in Door Village Cemetery with full Military rites by the Veterans of Foreign War.
Contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church in LaPorte.
Please sign the online register book at www.cutlerfuneral.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of John Dunk, please visit our flower store.
He was born on February 20, 1920 in Lafayette, IN, Son of the late Russell E. and Maude Alberta (Bolyard) Dunk. John had been a resident of LaPorte County since 1947.
On December 24, 1943, in West Lebanon, IN, he married Laura Ellen Day who passed away March 10, 2007.
He is survived by a daughter: Janice Resler of Kokomo; son: Jeffrey Dunk of LaPorte; 8 grandchildren; and 21 great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Laura Dunk; his parents; daughter: Jeannine Bowell of LaPorte; grandson: Jonathan Dunk of LaPorte; son-in-law: Harold D. Resler of Kokomo; and sister: Louise Kasten of Tucson, AZ. .
Mr. Dunk was a member of the First United Methodist Church in LaPorte and retired superintendent of the South Central Community School Corporation. In 1947 he began his teaching career at Wanatah High School where he taught and coached for five years. In 1949 while at Wanatah High School, he received a certificate of merit and outstanding teacher award, in recognition for results attained in the educational profession and community. He spent five years as principal of Mill Creek School and five years as principal of Rolling Prairie High School. For eighteen years he served as superintendent of South Central Community School Corporation. He served on numerous local and state educational committees as well as local organizations and was a Mason & Shriner in the Scottish Rite. He held membership in the state and national association of Secondary School Principals and American Association of School Administrators. He held teaching and administrative degrees from Indiana State University and Indiana University. He was a mentor in the HOSTS Program at Handley School, a member of the LaPorte County Fair Board 4-H Scholarship Committee, and a member in the Beechwood Men's Club.
In 1977 he visited Educational Facilities and Programs in the Soviet Union. This program was sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa International. Over one hundred U.S. school superintendents and university educators were chosen from the fifty states to participate in this program. They visited elementary, Jr.-Sr. High Schools, and Universities over a two week period.
After retirement from education in 1980 he worked three years for Municipal Finance Corporation in South Bend. The firm is a bonding company that provides funding for new educational structures, renovation of existing facilities, and new equipment for Indiana Schools.
He was a amatuer hunter of Indiana artifacts with a sizable collection of Indiana arrowheads and scrapers. In the summers after grain was harvested on the family farm in Tippecanoe County he spent several summers shocking wheat and oats and thrashing the grain on a large farm near Fargo, North Dakota.
He was a U.S. Army Corporal in the 26th Regiment of the First Infantry Division during World War II and received three Bronze Stars for the Algerian, Tunisian, and the Sicillian Compaign. He also received the Combat Infantryman's badge, two purple hearts, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Good Conduct Metal.
In September of 2007 he was in the PBS TV series Echoes of War, stories of the Big Red One. This was a program about the U.S. Army in Africa and Sicily during World War II where Dunk served. It was filmed by Ball State University and Ken Burns along with the WTTW Chicago in Wheaton, IL. He also did a documentary for Ball State Univeristy History Department and the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. for the Veteran's History Project as a copy to the Minnetrista for their archives.
There will be a Celebration of Life Service at 10:30 A.M.(C.S.T.) on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, LaPorte, IN. with Rev. Evan Lash officiating.
There will be a time of visitation from 2:00 to 8:00 P.M. on Friday, January 13, 2012 at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, LaPorte, IN and also from 9:30 A.M. until the time of service on Saturday at Cutler Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Interment will follow in Door Village Cemetery with full Military rites by the Veterans of Foreign War.
Contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church in LaPorte.
Please sign the online register book at www.cutlerfuneral.com.