DUNLAVY, WILLIAM w.
William Warrick Dunlavy passed away Thursday, August 3rd, surrounded by loved ones at Sonora Adventist Health. Bill is survived by his wife, Mary Lou, and his children, William Jr. (Sharrol), Deborah (Brian Moore), Elizabeth, and Claudia (Steve Hawks), as well as six grandchildren (Ben, Kate, Jed, Michael, Robert, and William III), and four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Marjorie in 2002.
A native of Sonora, Bill graduated from Sonora High School in 1946. He earned a BS from UC Berkeley, from Haas School of Business in 1951 and was a proud member of the CAL marching band. Throughout his life, Bill savored summers spent at the Pinecrest family cabin which his family began to build on the North Shore when he was four years old. An avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman, Bill loved hiking, backpacking, and catching native trout. After retiring from Union Carbide, Bill purchased the Sonora family home-built in 1928-from his parents estate and moved back to Tuolumne Co. (Bill’s father was a football coach, teacher, principal, and District Sup’t of Sonora Union High School District). He was able to pursue his dreams of traveling abroad as well as enjoy gardening and maintaining the famous rose garden of his home on Knowles Hill Dr. Bill increased his community work during his retirement, becoming a pillar in many local organizations; his “memory jogger” pocket calendar could attest to his breathtakingly busy schedule. He was highly active in the Sonora Lions Club (past President), Sonora United Methodist Church, Korean War Veterans, Tuolumne County Historical Society, Elk’s club, Sons in Retirement (past Big Sir), Tuolumne County Road Commission, American Lung Assoc, and the Columbia College Foundation (Past President and Hall of Fame Recipient in 2002). Bill also served as Forman of Tuolumne Co. Grand Jury, on the Tuolumne River Trust, and as President of Cal Berkeley Tuolumne County Alumni.
- Date of Death: 08/03/2017
- Residence: Sonora
- Services: A Memorial Service for Bill Dunlavy will be at the Sonora Elks Lodge on August 26th at 3pm. Internment will be a private family service with military honors. Remembrances to Sonora United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, (30 Yaney Street, Sonora, CA 95370), Sonora Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Standard, CA 95373), or Columbia Community College Foundation.
