Virgil LaVon “Boone” Dunkin

Posted

Virgil LaVon “Boone” Dunkin, 84, of Gonzales passed away Tuesday, January 17, 2017.  Boone was born January 8, 1933 in Hannibal, MO to Virgil Dunkin and Eula Silkey Dunkin.  He was a member of Two Rivers Bible Church and United Teamsters #720.  Boone married Jan Hayes on September 20, 1991 in Garner State Park.

Boone grew up in Aurora, ILL, where he attended school and graduated from high school.  Boone immediately joined the USAF and worked as a meteorologist during the Korean War.  After being honorably discharged from the United States Airforce, Boone went to work for Pepsi Cola and shortly thereafter began a 35 year career with Yellow Freight where he made long and short hauls.  Boone loved to fish, fresh or saltwater really made no difference, he loved the sport.  Boone especially enjoyed trips to the boundary waters of Minnesota and Canada to fish with friends much to the chagrin of his wife since these annual trips always seemed to fall on Mother’s Day.   Boone enjoyed fishing with his boys, teaching them the finer points of fishing and how to relax and enjoy fishing.  He enjoyed long conversations with family about his faith and passionate belief in Jesus Christ while sitting on the back porch listening to the sounds of a summer evening.   Boone built “hot-rods” as a younger man and enjoyed sharing his memories with his grandson Bobby as he longed to build another 1953 Chevy hot-rod.  Boone had a natural green thumb and maintained a highly productive vegetable garden before taken ill.  He enjoyed a laugh, even though he was ill and enduring treatments, he always found a way to make the nurses laugh from one of the tee-shirts he would wear making fun of them in delightfully humorous ways.  He was a magnet for children of all walks of life and was popularly called Grandpa Boone because of his gentle and loving nature with children.  Boone was one of those truckers that freely blew his truck’s big horn for children as they passed by.  Boone had a kind heart and never got upset; he would rather see the humor in everything than waste precious time and energy being angry.   Boone Dunkin had one more run to make, a run to heaven where he has docked his big truck at the gates of heaven with the glorious face of our Lord and Savior shining upon him home at last, home at last.

Virgil LaVon “Boone” Dunkin is survived by his wife Jan Dunkin of Gonzales, daughters, Fran Reinier of Gonzales, Linda Warshawski (Eric) of McHenry, ILL, sons, Dayle Dunkin of Aurora, ILL, David Dunkin (Sharon) of Pflugerville,  Rob Dunkin (Regina) of Mt. Vernon, ILL, Steve Scott (Stacy) of Gonzales, Chip Reinier (Sarah) of Gonzales, grandchildren, Phillip, Tammy, Elisha, Jessica, Tyler, Brandon, Cassie, Erin, Bobby, Jacob, Ryder, A’lora, Kaeden and many great-grandchildren. 

A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 22, 2017 in Two Rovers Bible Church with Rev. Jesse Elizondo and Steve Scott officiating.  A private family inurnment will be held at a later date in the Saturn Community Cemetery.  In lieu of usual remembrances memorials may be made to Two Rivers Bible Church or Accolade Hospice in Yoakum.                

Comments