- Date Of Birth: May 6, 1937
- Date Of Death: May 13, 2022
- State: Nebraska
THIS IS A COURTESY LISTING FOR THE DUNKIN FAMILY…
Billie (Bill) Daryl Dunkin passed away May 13, 2022, at the age of 85, in Tempe, Arizona. Bill was born to William Arthur (Art) and Ethel Mae (Cline) Dunkin May 6, 1937, on a farm north of Riverton, Nebraska. He was raised and worked on several farms within Franklin County and graduated from Riverton High School in 1954. His primary chore growing up was cleaning the chicken coop, and after leaving home, he never ate anything with feathers for the rest of his life. Bill had ten siblings; he had four sisters and six brothers. After graduation, he went to California and worked for General Motors Company.
Bill enlisted in the United States Army in 1957 and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. He was honorably discharged in 1959. Five of the seven brothers served in the U.S. military and their names are listed on the Franklin County Nebraska Veterans Memorial Walls: Delwyn (U.S. Army), Don (U.S. Navy), Gary (U.S. Army), Bill (U.S. Army) and Jim (U.S. Air Force). After serving in the Army, Bill learned how to drive an eighteen-wheeler and became a sleeper team with his oldest brother Delwyn for Kenosha Auto Transport on long-haul cross-country trips.
On August 28, 1960, Bill married Judith (Judy) Diane Pavelka, and they resided in Red Cloud, Nebraska before moving to Phoenix, Arizona in May of 1961. After moving to Phoenix, Bill worked for his father at his Exxon gas station, and then Shamrock Farms, where he drove an eighteen-wheel truck with routes from Phoenix to Kingman, Flagstaff and back to Phoenix and Phoenix to Tucson, Yuma and back to Phoenix. In 2000, he received the Million Mile Safety Award from the American Trucking Association for driving 1,000,000 perfect miles. Bill retired from Shamrock Farms in 2001 with an accident-free record.
Family was important to Bill.
Bill will be dearly missed by his immediate and large extended family and many friends. Bill is survived by his wife, Judith (Judy) Diane Dunkin; daughters, Patricia (Patti) Rea, Diana Lynn Vasquez (Johnny); granddaughters, Sara Renee Jessop (Michael) and Katie Gabriela Espinoza (Christopher); and great granddaughters, Colbie Gabriela Jessop and Isabella Amelia Espinoza. He is also survived by siblings, Jack Dunkin, Diana (Kay) Braden, and Connie Gipson; sisters- in-law Beth Ann Bohrer and Kylie Dunkin; brother-in-law Glenn Gipson, along with countless nieces, nephews, and cousins. Special additions to Bill’s family include Chris and Lisa Whipple (stepdaughter to Patti), and their children, Blake, Ty, Mitchell and Evelynn Winters, and Matthew, Jordan and Nora Winters, Kristin Whipple (Kyle), and Samantha, Dante, and Hazel
Hernandez. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Arthur (Art) and Ethel Mae (Cline) Dunkin; siblings, Delwyn Dunkin, Don (Pat) Dunkin, Betty (Sis) Vollertsen, Shirley Hansen, Gary Dunkin, Jimmie (Jim) Dunkin, and Jon Dunkin; and son-in law Mitch Rea.
