Retired Air Force Captain Daniel James Dunn was born on December 11, 1944, in Dixon, Illinois to James and Charlotte (Ankeny) Dunn. He passed away on November 7, 2023, after an unexpected illness while on a trip to Minneapolis, MN. He was 78. Dan spent most of his childhood between Blue Earth, MN and Denver, CO. While in Denver, he earned his Eagle Scout, built a backyard pond for fun, and fell in love with the landscape of the Rockies.
Dan met the love of his life, Katherine, during a two week stay in Owatonna, MN, before moving again and graduating from Blue Earth High School in 1962. After a year at Mankato State College, Dan enlisted in the Air Force. The next few years he spent mastering martial arts, and he qualified for the Olympic Judo team.
In 1967, Dan married his high school sweetheart in Owatonna, MN. The Air Force stationed them in Omaha, the Azores, Portugal, San Antonio, and Topeka before settling at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls, MT in 1970. During his 20 years, Dan worked military police, Safe-Side and SAC, and retired with honors as the Chief Executive Officer for Malmstrom in 1983. His military education included a BA from Bellevue College, an MBA from the University of Montana, and a Master of Arts in counseling from Pepperdine University, to name a few.
Dan and Kathy chose Great Falls to raise their three children and developed life-long friendships with most of the town. As a community leader, Dan volunteered with youth programs, 4-H, high school sports, soccer leagues, refereeing, teaching, and becoming the resident “Dan the Lawn Man” for his 256 neighbors in the Highwoods. He also invested nearly three decades teaching business classes at Park University.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
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