Lt. Col. William H. Dunning, of Newcastle, passed away Aug. 3 in Newcastle. He was born March 16, 1935 in Gorham.
Bill attended Lincoln Academy, graduated from Hebron Academy as well as the U.S. Military Academy. After graduating from West Point he joined the U.S. Air Force and attended the Office of Special Investigations school and then the Defense Language Institute.
With his language skills, his assignments rotated between Turkey and Washington, D.C., interrupted only by a 1970 tour in Vietnam, during which he was awarded the Bronze Star. Ending his 22-year military career in Ankara, Turkey, he then worked in security and labor relations for Boeing Services.
Upon returning to the U.S., he settled in his hometown of Newcastle where he became active in local politics. He participated in numerous town committees, served as Newcastle’s First Selectman from 1985 – 1992, was former Lincoln County Republican Chairman during the late 1990s and was active with the Newcastle Historical Society. He was a member of The Knights of Columbus. Most gratifying to him were his 20-plus years participating in The People to People Thanksgiving Day Baskets.
Bill was an avid “Catch and Release” fisherman and enjoyed many hours on both Damariscotta Lake and Big Lake. He enjoyed meeting the “Guinness Guys” on Friday afternoons for a healthy dose of humor!
He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Carol Adams Dunning; daughters, Christina D. Morrill and Sarah D. Buck; sons, William H. Dunning Jr., and Raymond M. Dunning II; grandchildren, Sarah Morrill, Benjamin Dunning, Erin Dunning, Tyler Buck, and Emily Buck; and sisters, Donna Mendoza and Gloria Brown.
A time of visitation, honoring and celebrating Bill’s life, will be held 6-8 p.m., Thurs., Aug. 8 at Simmons, Harrington & Hall, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay.
A mass of celebration will be held at Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor, 12 p.m., Fri., Aug. 9. A reception will follow. The burial will take place at 3 p.m. at Saint Patrick’s Cemetery, in Newcastle.
In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of William H. Dunning may be made to Kno-Wal-Lin Hospice, 170 Pleasant St., Rockland, ME 04842.
You are invited to share your condolences, memories and photos with the Dunning family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, Boothbay.
