William George Dunow

January 16, 1918 ~ April 14, 2011
William George Franklin Dunow passed away peacefully surrounded by family on April 14, 2011. Graveside services were held on April 19, 2011 at the Monticello Cemetery, with full military honors.
Bill was born January 16, 1918 in Curtis, WI. He was the third child of Charles and Theresa Dunow.
The family moved from Phelps, WI when he was five years old. He worked on the family farm from then until he graduated from high school in 1937.
He then left for Chicago, IL with a friend in the fall of 1937. He found a job with Continental Can Company and attended Voss Business College at night, with courses in accounting, shorthand, typing and business administration.
He joined the Illinois National Guard in 1939 and served in the 33rd Division, horse drawn field artillery unit until the unit was activated by the U.S. Army in 1940 at Camp Forrest, TN. Bill was a battery clerk.
In 1942, he transferred to Camp Carson, CO as a Platoon Sergeant in the Anti-Tank Battalion using jeeps and 37mm pull type guns. He then went to Officer Training School at Camp Hood, TX in 1943. He graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant in December 1943. He was then sent to Command School for three months.
Then he was transferred to Fort Mead, MD where he was assigned to a replacement company of infantry to go to the South Pacific.
When he arrived in the South Pacific, he was transferred to the 4th Armored Group using flame thrower tanks. They were in all of the island invasions, including the Philippines. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1944 then to Captain in 1945 and placed in Headquarters Division of the 4th Armored Group.
They were loading tanks for invasion of Japan when the Atomic Bomb was dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The group had a canine unit, so Bill stayed in the Philippines until December 26, 1945 to retrain the dogs before they could bring the dogs home. He came home in January, 1946.
He joined the National Guard unit in Colorado and was activated in 1950. He was sent to Korea as a Captain. He was given command of Charley Company in the 3rd Division.
The Division was fighting from 1950 to August 1952. After discharge he did not return to the National Guard. Bill was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Korea and the Infantryman’s Medal.
Before Bill left for the Philippines in 1943, he married Marjorie May Harvey in Denver, CO. Three boys were born to them after World War II. Billy, Jr. in October, 1946, Charles in September, 1948 and Gary in June, 1950.
After returning from the Korean War, he went back to work at the Colorado Milling Company in Denver, CO. This was a job he had after World War II. A short time later he was transferred to Cortez, CO to be in charge of the grain elevators in the surrounding areas. When an opening became available in Dove Creek, he transferred to manage the Dove Creek Elevator.
In 1956, Bill and Jimmy Forrest purchased the Monticello Grain Elevator from Eddie Saul and renamed it J.B. Grain Co. Bill purchased Jimmy Forrest’s share of the company in 1972 and operated it until 1980, when he sold the elevator to his three sons and retired.
Bill and Marge enjoyed ten years of traveling the United States and Canada during the summer months and stayed in Mexico for six months during the winter. Marge passed away in November, 1990. Bill continued to go to Mexico during the winter months until 1993.
He met and married Fumie Shino in 1994 in St. Marie’s, ID. They enjoyed traveling to visit relatives in the summer months and then wintered in Bouse, AZ until 2002.
Bill was very active in the Monticello community. He served on the Monticello City Council for one year. He also served as a County Commissioner from 1970 to 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980. He was active with the 4-H Club and was on the Hospital Board as County Commissioner. He was a member of the Lions Club. He was instrumental in getting the building for the clubhouse located at the County Fairgrounds.
He is preceded in death by his father, mother, brother, three sisters and his son, Bill, Jr.
He is survived by his wife Fumie, sons Charles (Peggie), Gary (Nancy), brothers Fritz and Harvey, sisters Josephine (Don), Bernice, Paula (Ralph), daughter-in-law Etta Dunow, ten grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Card of thanks
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the doctors, especially Dr. Reay, and all of the nurses for their excellent and compassionate care while he was in the San Juan County Hospital before his passing.
Also, our thanks to the administration and all nursing staff who took such good care of Bill during his stay at the Four Corners Regional Care Center.
Special thanks to family and friends for their support and loving care and concern for Bill.
We would also like to thank Bishop Holt and the Relief Society of the First Ward. We appreciate the compassion they gave during this time.
Thank you to the Honor Guard for paying tribute to Bill’s military service.
Last but not least, we are grateful to Danny Palmer for his love and compassion during this difficult time.
Fumie Dunow
Charles Dunow & family
Gary Dunow & family
Etta Dunow & family