David Guy Dunham

As appropriate when people die, loved ones recall the things about that person that they loved; they try to encapsulate that person into a short writing. To those that closely knew David, describing him in a short writing would not do him or his personality justice.

David was born the youngest of 7 to the late Earen and Catherine Dunham; the family grew up in the town of Naugatauck, CT. Following high school graduation, David enlisted in the United States Army in 1976. David ended his enlistment in 1979 and joined the Army National Guard, where he served until 1988. In that time David worked multiple jobs, including as a security guard where he met the loving wife, who he’d eventually marry in 1982. David and Shelley had a daughter that same year (Amber) and then a son (Earen), in 1985.

David was a devoted father, husband and churchgoer (until moving from Sterling). He was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus where he served the community in various ways. He volunteered for pancake breakfasts, raised money for the mentally disabled, sold and delivered trees for the church during Christmas time and participated in every other event the church had to offer. He was selected as the Grand Knight in his church, where he served in that capacity for a year.

Beyond David’s devotion to God and country, David was a loving father. Recalling memories, dad led the family in a humble, loving, humorous way. Dad taught his kids how people were supposed to be treated, he taught his kids love and empathy, he also taught his kids how to have fun and not let the little things bother you. He was the greatest father anyone could ask for; he may not have made a fortune financially but what he possessed and gave didn’t require money. Dad loved wholeheartedly and if he loved you, you had no doubts about it. He would literally give his last dollar if he knew it would make you happy.

In recent years David spent his social time at the Culpeper Eagles. There, him, his son’s girlfriend and his son would trade jabs at each other, picking the most outlandish songs during karaoke. Dad was never the butt of the joke, he was always in on the joke. David not only embraced singing the 90s/2000s pop hits he never heard before, the more laughs he got, the more funny and animated he’d become. David would also come for trivia, where he and his team were known to win frequently.

Those that knew him knew that when he walked in the room there was going to be entertainment and joy. Dad carried an aura around him that couldn’t be described in a brief writing. When dad was present, nothing was dull, nothing was predictable and everyone was fair game for whatever dad planned to say or do. He was deeply loved by his family and those that knew him. He leaves us in the physical world but David Dunham will never be forgotten by those that met him.

David leaves behind his loving wife of 44 years Shelley Dunham and loyal beagle Ralph, his daughter Amber Keyser and son-in-law Robert Keyser, his son Earen Dunham and his son’s fiancee Jessica Heath, sister Helen Gerrity, sister Marie Bonnville, his grandchildren Christopher and Nicholas Dunham, his daughter-in-law Angela Dunham, family friends Lynn Anderson, Lydia and John Whitmore, Evan and Natalie Anderson, Crystal and Joe Torbic, Alison Hicks, Jennifer Dollinger, Dollie Hood and all those that had the pleasure of calling him friend and family.