DOUGLAS G. DUNN

 The following bio was taken from page 186 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited

And used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

 Douglas Grady Dunn, Sr. was never a resident of Rusk County.  He was born in Panola County, Texas, July 7, 1918, the son of William Grady Dunn and his wife, Lucy Paralee (Gentry) Dunn.  After graduating from Carthage High School and from Tyler Commercial College, Tyler, Texas, he joined the Army Air Force and died at Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, April 5, 1945.  He is buried in Waldrop Cemetery, Panola County, Texas.

 Douglas married a Rusk County resident, Mary Franklin Deason, on June 6, 1942, and they were parents of one son, Douglas Grady Dunn, Jr.  Mary Frank was born at Brachfield April 18, 1920, the daughter of Franklin Bruce and Abbie Irene (Rushton) Deason.  She graduated from Henderson High School, attended Kilgore College, and received her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts, and Master’s degrees from Texas Women’s University, Denton, Texas, majoring in home economics.  After Douglas’ death, she taught school for twenty-four years.  She has been a member of the Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church since the age of fourteen and is church historian.  She is a member of Thomas J. Rusk Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, centennial Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and is also a member of the Rusk County Historical Commission and the Heritage Association.  Her hobbies are ancestors, antiques, and quilting.  She resides at Brachfield.

 Douglas Grady Dunn, Jr. was born March 6, 1943 at Henderson.  He grew up at Brachfield, being partially reared by his Deason Grandparents.  He graduated from Henderson High School in 1961.  He married Jo Ann Reed on June 9, 1967 at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, the ceremony being performed by Brother Audrey Simmons.   Doug is an avid reader and a mechanic.

 Jo Ann was born January 13, 1947 in the Bethel Community of Rusk County.  She is a graduate of Pine Tree High School, Gregg County, Texas where her parents were then residing.  Her parents are John Quinton Reed and Willie (Richardson) Reed, who presently reside at Bethel.  Her paternal grandparents were George W. and Lillus (Cartwright) Reed.  Her maternal grandparents were Harvey and Robbie (Green) Richardson.  Jo Ann’s hobbies are music, flower arranging, and interior decoration.

 Doug and Jo Ann reside at Brachfield and attend Roquemore Baptist Church, where she is pianist.  They are parents of two children, a son, Douglas Grady Dunn III, born October 3, 1972 at Longview, Texas and a daughter, Kari DeAnn Dunn, born January 14, 1977 at Tyler, Texas.

 Submitted by Mrs. Douglas (JoAnn) Dunn, Jr.