Curtis Wayne Dunn

Curtis Wayne Dunn, passed away on Sunday, October 20, 2013, in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 86 years, nine months and nine days. Curtis was born January 11, 1927, in Big Cabin, Oklahoma. He was the son of Jess David and Edna Mae (Carter) Dunn. Curtis moved with his family to the Keystone and Sinnett Area as a very young child. He began his education in Keystone attending the Rigsby School. After the completion of his education Curtis worked odd jobs in the area and in 1943, when he was 16 years old he went to work on the Frisco Railroad which is now Burlington Northern Railroad. Curtis started on the railroad section out of Mannford, Oklahoma at .46 cents an hour and later transferred to the railroad bridge gang at .77 cents per hour. Curtis later began driving a Pepsi Cola truck for about a year and then enlisted in the United States Army. Following an honorable discharge from the Army, Curtis went to a trade school for six weeks in Nashville, Tennessee. Following the completion of trade school on July 1, 1951, Curtis went to California. On July 17, 1951, Curtis was united in marriage to the love of his life Deborah Ruth Bennington, at the Bellaire Baptist Church in Hawthorne, California. During his time in California, Curtis worked for McCullough Motors for almost three years. He then accepted employment with American-Standard for over four years. On March 4, 1959, Curtis and Deborah moved their family back to their native home in Oklahoma. Upon his return Curtis accepted employment and began working as a bridge carpenter. He helped build all of the bridges between Highway 48 Southeast of Cleveland as well as the Keystone Lake on Highway 64 and many other bridges throughout the area. In 1989, Curtis retired from working at the age of 62. Curtis loved being with family. Sunday dinners were very common at the Dunn house. Following the death of Deborah in August of 2003, Curtis kept the tradition alive and prepared meals at least twice a month for the family. August was a special month for the Dunnís. They would travel to Konawa, Oklahoma to the all night Gospel singing held out under the stars. The music would start at 6:00 pm and last through the night into the next morning until 6:00 am. Curtis came up with a Triple Peg Horseshoe Game in about 1990, that he was very proud of. Curtis was very devoted and longtime member of the Beams of Light Church in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Curtis is quoted as saying, "The Good Lord has been good to us in all ways and supplying all of our needs. He will do the same for you if only you will accept Him as your Lord and Saviour and put your Trust in the Lord.î His favorite scripture was ìFor by Grace are Ye saved through Faith, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.î Eph. 2: 8-9. Survivors are his three sons Stanley and Charlotte Dunn of Indiahoma, Oklahoma; Raymond and Ann Dunn of Topeka, Kansas; Timothy and Ruth Dunn of Tulsa, Oklahoma; daughter Diana and Ray Firey of Sand Springs, Oklahoma; two brothers Ivy Dunn and his wife Avis of San Antonio, Texas; Ernie Dunn and his wife Linda of Ada, Oklahoma; two sisters Ramona Carlyle and her husband Bill of Locust Grove, Oklahoma; Wilma Surrett and her husband David of Tulsa, Oklahoma; twelve grandchildren; fifteen great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, Curtis was preceded in death by his wife Deborah Ruth Dunn, son Charles Wayne Dunn, step son James Daniel Dunn, four brothers Marvin Dunn, Bill Dunn, Jay Dee Dunn and an infant brother A.B. Dunn, two sisters Ella Mae Stephens and Gertrude ìTrudyî Noteware. Services will be held at 2:00 pm Wednesday, October 23, 2013, at the Chapman-Black Funeral Home with Pastor Glenn Hunt, Jr. officiating. Burial will follow in the Dixie Bear Creek Cemetery under the direction of Chapman-Black Funeral Home.