Francis R. “Frank” Dunn, 81, of Platteville passed on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at Southwest Health Center Hospital, Platteville.
Funeral services were Sunday, July 19, 2009 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Platteville. Rev. Edmond Dunn and Monsignor Charles Schluter officiated. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery, Platteville. Memorials may be made to the Francis R. Dunn Memorial Fund.
Francis was born on Aug. 13, 1927 in Oxford, Iowa, the son of William Raymond and Kathryn (McDonough) Dunn. He married Catherine Belk on Dec. 27, 1956 at St. Peter’s Church in Sabula, Iowa. After graduating from high school in Oxford, Francis served in the United States Navy from July 1945 to August 1946. He attended St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, got his master’s degree from University of Northern Iowa and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in 1965. He taught school in Oxford and DeWitt, Iowa.
Later he was superintendent of the Salem, Iowa school district, and the assistant superintendent of the Mount Pleasant, Iowa school district. He and his family moved to Platteville in 1966 when he began a 30-year career at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. Initially he was the assistant to the vice president of academic affairs and was soon thereafter made the vice president of business affairs. Later from 1985 until his retirement in 1994 he served as the director of auxiliary services. He then continued to work two more years on a part-time basis.
He was an active member of St. Mary’s Parish in Platteville, taking Communion to the homebound, being a lector and leader of prayer, and a member of Knights of Columbus. He was an avid reader and walker. Frank also enjoyed bowling and pitching horseshoes for many years during his retirement. He is survived by Cathy, his wife of 52 years, brother Fr. Edmond Dunn of Oxford; five children, Mike (Lucy) of Galesville, Wis.; Mark of Sun Prairie, Wis.; Dan of Oshkosh, Wis.; Julie (Joe) Szot of Iowa City; and Mary (Jim) Reilly of Edgerton, Wis.; eight grandchildren, Jacob, Danny and Matthew Dunn, Ben and Anna Szot, and Hunter, Logan and Noah Reilly. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Thomas, a brother, Paul and sister, Ramona Kolar.
The family would like to thank the staff of Southwest Health Center Hospital for the care Frank received.
