FRED DUNLEA | His children’s memories about their father

“One of the most valuable things my father taught me is to not be afraid to try something ... out of your comfort zone. He was never afraid to learn a new skill. He tried fly fishing, and learned to tie flies. He learned how to fly planes. Loved fireworks, so learned how to make his own. Skied, hiked, camped, mountain climbed. He was a leader in our Boy Scout Troop 22. Learned how to sew and made us all ski jackets. Traveled around the United States and around the world. Loves Italy. Built a TV and a stereo from kits. Did plumbing, home additions and car repair. He was a very early adopter of computers and built a solar array in the front yard. Built a canoe that was seaworthy and a sailboat that wasn’t. He was never afraid of failure; he always tried. He was having a lot of fun and living life to its fullest.”

Fred W. Dunlea Jr. of Cincinnati, Delta Air Lines pilot, former Navy pilot

“The last time I was home late last month, he was busy listening to college lecture tapes on the history of Rome. He always had an active intellectual life. Through much of his later life, he was an active member of MENSA. For a guy who worked a lot, he spent a lot of significant time with us. He helped me to appreciate the outdoors. When I was 12, he took us to hike 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Upon hiking to the top of Gannet Peak, the highest mountain in Wyoming, we found the body of a hiker who had passed away, possibly due to exposure or a medical problem. My dad was always doing charitable work. He gave free service to the nuns and priests in the area, and if a family was too poor, he often gave his services gratis. He worked extensively during retirement for Habitat for Humanity.”

Jim Dunlea of Bedford, Mass., Ph.D. in physics, quantitative analyst at Fidelity Investments

“He instilled in me a love for nature and outdoor adventure: canoe trips, biking, hiking, skiing, whitewater rafting, climbing ...”

John Dunlea of Salt Lake City, Utah, pilot with NetJets

“With 10 kids and all the neighbors playing in the front yard, it would get muddy. I remember a neighbor saying something about it to my Dad, and he said, ‘I amraising children, not grass.’”

Thomas Dunlea of Cincinnati, director of marketing

“He still yells at me and gives me advice. He is a confidant and definitely a resource. Anyone who needs an excuse can find one. He would always tell me that when I made an excuse that was kind of lame. Recently, at his birthday party, what impressed the most was how many lives he touched. Not how they just crossed paths, but how deeply ... their lives altered in some way. When we were working in the garden, he didn’t just say look at these tomatoes. He talked about the whole scientific process. You got roped into a science lesson. Now I hear myself telling it to my children. He taught me not to just look at things, but dig a little bit deeper.”

Tim Dunlea of Dublin, Ohio, registered respiratory therapist and clinical instructor, Department of Surgery at Ohio State University Medical Center

“He always led by example, not just words. Being Catholic, he encouraged us to make sacrifices during Lent. He would not only go to church every morning at 7, but walk the couple miles to St. Christine. I would always enjoy the times I went with him. Also, he would give up TV all through Lent. His willpower always amazed us. He also encouraged all of our dreams. For me, it was my love of travel. At 17, he sent me to South Africa to study as an exchange student. In college, he sent me to Europe to study in Luxembourg. In return, he and my Mom took in eight international students from all over the world. Our family was a popular home to place a student as my parents treated the students like their own children. He is still is in touch with all of them.

Laura Gedra of Fairfax Station, Va., preschool teacher

“He taught us all that if you can read, you can do anything, and he proved that by reading books and teaching himself how to sew, woodwork, build solar panels, become a gourmet cook, garden and many more. I think a big part of my Dad’s life is living his faith. He has served the Mahoning Valley as a physician, but he also served the community as a school doctor; then after he retired, he went to Jamaica and did volunteer work as a doctor in their clinics. When he returned he started volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. He was very involved in St. Christine’s Church also. He used the cooking skills he had and joined the committee that made food for families who were sick or had a death . Now that he is physically restrained, he uses his time to pray for others. He still counts his blessings!

Karen McClurkin of Girard, registered nurse at Hospice House

“I appreciate that he consciously took time to be with his family and that helped to inspire me to choose to stay at home with my kids, Marie, 10, and Maggie, 5.”

David Dunlea of Columbus, stay-at-home dad

“I am so grateful we can still talk with him, share stories, share our concerns, ask for guidance and advice. My kids can still joke with him and get to know him better. I admire him more now than ever. As a young girl, I remember my Daddy coming home to have lunch with me. We would have peanut butter sandwiches. We would share Eskimo kisses. He encouraged me and paid for me to spend a year in Bolivia and a year in Europe. He said he wanted to give me things and experiences he always wished he had. He is a romantic and taught us how to be in a relationship. Good advice he gave: Remember the other person always feels they give more. He kept us all together even though we live so far apart through weekly newslettersl. I have a very close-knit family despite the distances, and I know it is because of my Dad.

Elizabeth Blake of Montville, N.J., stay-at-home mom and Creative Memories consultant, former Spanish teacher

“Dad has always been a hands-on kind of man, from his practice of medicine, to his gourmet cooking and to his woodworking. A man who finds solace through action. When I was about 10, my dad took me on house calls to nursing homes. He encouraged me to sit with some of the patients and tell them about what I was doing at school or in sports. Later, I came to understand that my dad took me along because oftentimes these patients did not have family that came and visited regularly and that I acted as a surrogate grandson. As I trained to become a physician, I saw that Dad epitomizes the ideal of a family physician, a specialty that is dedicated to comprehensive medicine treating both the mind and body.

Dr. Robert Dunlea of Boston, Mass., physician and clinical informatics specialist