Mary Doreen Dunn

Mary Doreen Whitworth Tilford Dunn was born in Geneva, New York, on January 9, 1917, to William and Elizabeth Whitworth. Her beloved father, William, was once a carnival barker! Later, as a U.S. Postal Carrier, he often took his daughter on his delivery rounds in a horse-drawn sleigh during the snowy winters – a thrill she often talked about. Mary had many aunts and uncles, as well as numerous cousins, and spent many happy hours with them all on and around Seneca Lake – one of the Finger Lakes of upper New York State. In the spirit of adventure (and her dislike of Geneva’s cold winters), Mary drove all the way across the country with a friend, stopping to see the sights along the way – such as the Grand Canyon and many other places. Mary finally settled in San Francisco, CA, in 1941, while her friend continued on to Alaska. During World War II, Mary worked at Fort Mason in San Francisco, decoding messages from the troops in the Pacific. While at Fort Mason, she met Ronald Reagan, who was stationed there for a time. This was another of her favorite stories, especially when he became our President! After working as a secretary in San Francisco and Los Angeles for many years, Mary moved to Cathedral City, CA, in 1961. She worked in retail sales in Palm Springs and Palm Desert until her retirement. In the 1960s and 1970s, Mary enjoyed visiting her daughter, Susan Jessen, and her grandson, Chris, in Los Angeles. In later years, she visited Susan in Santa Cruz, CA, at least twice a year, where she enjoyed seeing the beautiful ocean and many trees after spending so much time in the desert (over 40 years). In 1984, Mary enjoyed the “trip of a lifetime” when she took a three-week tour of England and Scotland (England was her ancestral home). She never tired of talking about all the places she visited there. Mary was a very talented painter, especially of landscapes – but she was an excellent portrait artist, as well, capturing good likenesses of her subjects. She also did pet portraits on commission when she lived in Cathedral City. In 2007, a fractured hip left Mary unable to live independently. So she decided to move in with her grandson, Chris Jessen, in Savannah, GA – where Chris cared for her in his home for 3 ½ years, until she moved to Bryan County Health and Rehab in Richmond Hill (where Chris continued to look after her needs). Mary passed peacefully away on January 22, 2013, at the age of 96. She will be deeply missed. We would like to express our thanks and gratitude to Bryan County Health and Rehab, and to Hospice Savannah for the excellent care they provided for my mother. A special note of thanks must go to Diane Reed of Hospice, who was incredibly kind and generous to all of us. Diane devoted so much time and attention to my mother, and it made a real difference in our lives To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mary Doreen Dunn, please visit our flower store.