John James Dunn

John James Dunn, 88, of Summerville, SC, passed away on Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

He was born on July 31, 1929 in Chicago, IL, son of the late Emma Lucille Flashberger Dunn and the late Jeremiah Joseph Dunn.

John graduated from St. Rita’s High School in Chicago, IL, in 1947 and received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the Citadel in 1971.

He loved the outdoors and spent a lot of time growing up with his father teaching him and his brother Jim how to hunt, fish and camp. John enjoyed deer hunting until he had children, then didn’t have the heart to shoot “Bambi”. He loved to share his passion for the great outdoors with his children and taught them all how to respect the wild and they in turn, have passed this down to their children.

John began his military service with the US Navy Reserves in 1947, where he served for almost four years then discharged as a Seaman Recruit. His training duty performed at US Naval Amphibious Base in Little Creek, Virginia aboard the USS Okanagan and USS Missouri. He decided a warmer climate might be better and continued his military service as a Private at Weapons Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, until “Dead Eye” Dunn honorably discharged as a Rifle Marksmanship Instructor from the US Marine Corps. Not willing to give up his service career, he continued in the US Marine Corps Reserves until 1959. There is still a plaque displayed in Parris Island honoring his marksmanship.

While at Parris Island he befriended George Furman Baggott of Charleston, South Carolina. Furman thought enough of John to bring him home for a good home cooked meal and as a bonus, where John met the love of his life, Barbara Ann Baggott. They married August 4, 1951 at St Mary’s Catholic Church, Charleston, South Carolina.

John began his career at the Charleston Naval Shipyard in 1953 as an apprentice carpenter. He continued to advance at the Navy Yard and was assigned as a liaison officer in Groton, Connecticut at Electric Boat to assist the shipyard in preparing for the first overhaul of a nuclear submarine in Charleston.

John and his family moved back to Charleston where he then became one of 200 hand-picked individuals to get a college degree from The Citadel. John worked full time and went to school full time for 5 years where his hard work paid off in earning his diploma.

The next part of his career sent him to Crystal City, in Arlington Virginia where he worked for the Naval ships System Command for 5 years. He then retired from Civil Service and Johnny and Bobbie started the next phase of their lives in Burlington, Wisconsin where he became a real estate appraiser. They both enjoyed the northern life and spending time with his family until Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston and it took two weeks to get in touch with their children – it was time to come home.

John worked as an engineering consultant with Life Cycle Engineers until the Navy Base shut down. There were no thoughts of retiring at this time in his life, so he started working for the City of North Charleston as Deputy Building Official until he retired in June, 2013 just shy of his 84th birthday.

John enjoyed working in his garden, woodworking, playing with the great grandchildren, keeping up with Bobbie’s “honey do” list and dabbled in a little whittling. John was an Honorary Life member of the Knights of Columbus in the Rev. David J. Schiller Council #11910. He went on to achieve his 4th Degree in the Knights of Columbus in April 2016 and then Worthy Sir Knight John J. Dunn became a member of Assembly 3009. He was also a member of The American Legion Post 0166 in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Besides his parents, John is preceded in death by his son, Kevin Dunn; sister, Joan Dunn and brother, James Francis Dunn.

He is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Barbara Baggott Dunn of Summerville, SC; son, James “Pat” Dunn and his wife, Jeanne, of Beaufort, SC; daughters: Barbara Dunn Grant of Mt. Pleasant, SC; Helen Dunn Melton and her husband, Gary, of Summerville, SC; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; his sister, Lucille Dunn Crocilla and her husband, Joseph, of Palos Park, IL; and his brother, Thomas Dunn of Oshkosh, WI.

The family will receive friends on Monday, April 30, 2018 from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at McAlister-Smith Funeral Home West Ashley Chapel, with a wake service at 6:30 PM.

A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, May 1, 2018 at 9:00 AM at St. Theresa The Little Flower, 11001 Dorchester Road, Summerville, SC, 29485. Burial will follow at Live Oak Memorial Gardens, Charleston, SC.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted to www.mcalister-smith.com.

Arrangements entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral Home, West Ashley Chapel, 2501 Bees Ferry Road Charleston, South Carolina, 29414, 843-722-8371.