John P. Dunn

John P. Dunn, 81, of Stephenville went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 in Fort Worth. A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 pm Friday, January 21, 2011 at the First United Methodist Church of Stephenville with Rev. Howard Martin and Rev. Emil Becker officiating. The family will receive friends after the service in the FUMC Fellowship Hall. Johnny was born April 27, 1929 in Indian Gap, Texas to the late John Dunn and Almabel Allison Dunn. He married Sue Thompson on December 23, 1954 in Weslaco, Texas. Johnny was a 1947 graduate of Stephenville High School and earned his bachelor's degree from TCU where he played football and ran track earning the McCorkel award. He also served in the U.S. Air Force playing football at Carswell where they won two national championships. Johnny coached for one year in Stephenville, one year in Dublin, and served as an assistant coach at Tarleton in football and track. He became Tarleton State's head coach in 1960, its final year as a junior college. He guided the program through a major transition period when Tarleton became a senior college in 1961. In 1966 his last season as head coach of the Texans, they were invited and won the Aztec bowl in Mexico City. Johnny earned a Masters degree from North Texas and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Texas A&M. He worked for 37 years at Tarleton as a coach, a professor, director of physical education, and vice president of development for the university. He was a member of the Stephenville First United Methodist Church and attended the United Presbyterian Church in Antonito, Colorado. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sue Dunn; daughters, Michele Brown and husband David of Stephenville, and Lura Manley and husband Scott of Weatherford; son, John Paul Dunn and wife Leslie of Somerville, Mass.; grandchildren, Amy Manley, Bryan Manley, Johnny Frank Dunn, Willa Dunn, and Christa Manley; sister, Florence Brownlow of Malakoff; aunt & uncle, Joe and Lura Fagan of De Leon; and numerous cousins. Memorials may be made to the Tarleton Library, Stephenville Library or to the Library of your choice.