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I am a friend of <em>George Richard Dunaway</em>. I represent a very large group of people who come from every part of George’s incredible life and who were privileged to call George their friend. As I try to pay homage to this truly amazing person, I realize that we all have a story about our friend George, and attempting to capture them all in a short piece would be an exercise in futility. My goal, then, is for everyone who reads this to either recall a story of being a friend of George or to wish they could have been a friend of George or maybe, even better, to be a friend like George. George lived a life with a very different definition of friend than the passive, casual, “I know that person” definition most of us have when we say “friend.” To George, “friend” was the most powerful word in the English language. He knew that to have a “friend” first meant to be a friend. A friend is someone whose first response is, “Yes—I can help…what’s the problem?”</p>
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I met George on June 26, 1973 at Fort Dix, NJ as we started our military careers together in Basic Training. We were bunkmates. He taught me how to shine boots. We quickly knew everything about each other as only you can shining boots together. In retrospect, at 17 years old we did not have that much to talk about, so we created our own memories every day during that sweltering hot summer of 1973. We came from the same tribe with a common bond because we both were Army brats continuing an Army tradition started by our fathers, both World War II veterans and career soldiers. We double-dated; we spent Spring Break together in Titusville; we were roommates in B-1; we were physics lab partners; we were in each other’s wedding (almost); and we commanded our first companies and started our families together at Fort Knox, KY in the Van Voorhees housing area. In May 2015, my son Kevin and I had dinner with Debbie and George in Wichita Falls, TX, and, though we had not seen each other for many years, it was like we had been sitting around shining boots together yesterday. On July 20, 2015, I got an email from George’s email address, and I was excited because we were planning another visit; when I opened, it read, “This is George’s daughter Penny. We wanted you to know…,” and I cried.</p>
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George passed away unexpectedly on July 22, 2015 in Wichita Falls. George was born on August 19, 1955 to Sergeant Major of the Army George Wilbur and Mary Milburn (Henry) Dunaway at Fort Bragg, NC. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 24, 1973, attended Basic Training at Fort Dix, NJ, and attended the USMA Preparatory School at Fort Belvoir, VA. At West Point, George was in Company B-1 then I-3. He was a sprinter on the Corps Squad Track Team. In the spring of yearling year, George decided that the Football Team needed a fast wide receiver to improve its chances to win. Thus was born George ‘Runaway’ Dunaway, #47. Who could forget George catching the game-winning touchdown pass to beat Holy Cross in Michie Stadium our cow year or beating Navy 17-14 our firstie year, breaking a four-year losing streak? Yes, George, we did need a fast wide receiver. After graduation and ranked Infantry, George was assigned to Fort Knox, where on July 24, 1979, following the Infantry Officer Basic Course, Airborne, and Ranger School, he married Debbie Morgan in Jekyll Island, GA. After the Advanced Course, they remained at Fort Benning, GA, and he served as a leadership instructor at, then the Chief of Protocol for, the Infantry School. Upon transition to the private sector in 1985, George began a distinguished career in the automobile industry, beginning with Nissan Motor Company in Texas. After 20 years, George joined the Albert Moving and Storage family and was a key leader there for over 10 years as a director and manager. Throughout the years, George was active in his church, enjoyed coaching young children in upward football, and refereed basketball games.</p>
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On Memorial Day weekend 2013, George was helping a friend cut tree branches off his house when he fell off the ladder breaking his back, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. The week before George died, he was interviewed by the local TV station as a community leader by example. He was training to participate with Debbie in the “Hotter ‘N Hell” 25-mile race on his new hand cycle. It was going to be his “I’m back” event.</p>
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George is survived by his best friend and loving wife of 36 years, Debbie Morgan Dunaway of Wichita Falls; and by three children: David Dunaway of Wichita Falls, Penny Klimas and husband Chris of Claremore, OK, and Tim Dunaway of Fort Smith, AR. He also leaves behind two granddaughters, Charlee and Callie Klimas, and many nieces and nephews.</p>
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One of the greatest honors of my life is being a friend of George Dunaway. I hope I can be a friend like George and pledge to try hard every day. Every time I think of George, it brings a smile to my face and a warm feeling in my heart.</p>
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Be Thou at Peace, my true, trusted, and noble friend. Job Well Done. Proud and Great! Go Army!</p>
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<em>— Joseph C. Barto III ’78 </em></p>