Beatrice Jane “Bea” Dunn, 89, died peacefully at 7:12 PM Wednesday, July 9, 2014 at Oakwood Heights of Oil City where she had resided for the past few years.
She was born on May 29, 1925 in Venus, the daughter of Alice Bloomquist and William Millicent Betz. She grew up in Venus where her father was the local postmaster and her family owned the general store.
She graduated from Shippenville High School, and then attended Mansfield State Teachers College. Bea returned to the area where she was employed as a secretary for Sears Roebuck and Company. Later she worked as the office secretary at Seventh Street School.
At the age of 55, Bea retired as the secretary for the Oil City Area School District reading department located at the Lincoln School and enrolled in the LPN program at Vo-Tech. She graduated at the top of her class, aided by her ability to take perfect lecture notes in shorthand which she would transcribe and type every evening; then distribute copies to her classmates the following day.
After earning her degree, Bea was employed at Oil City Hospital until her retirement.
Bea married William Baker Dunn who preceded her in death in April of 1958.
Bea was an avid reader and read thousands of books during her lifetime. She was a frequent patron of the Oil City Public Library. Not wanting to discover that a book she had checked out was one she had previously read, Bea would place a tiny pencil check mark on page 25 (for the year of her birth) in each book she had completed.
A soft-spoken woman, she would always surprise her family when a highly competitive streak would emerge while playing Scrabble with her sister Doris or Spoons with her grandchildren.
Bea enjoyed volunteering, especially at the Oil City Public Library and at the gift shop in the Transit Building.
Bea is survived by six children: Mike and his wife Anita of New Haven, CT; Sue Shomo and her husband Mark of Mount Lemon, AZ; Steve and his wife Mary Beth of Oil City; Gary and his wife Diane of Appleton, ME; David of Asheville, NC; Bill and his wife Deb of Oil City; 12 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her two sisters: Doris Weaver and Barbara Moreland.
In accordance of her wishes, there will be no public visitation.
An open house to celebrate Bea’s life will be held Sunday from 2-4 PM at the home of Steve and Mary Beth Dunn, 320 Wyllis Street, Oil City.
Memorial contributions, if desired, may be directed in her name to: The Oil City Public Library, 2 Central Avenue, Oil City, PA 16301.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Timothy E. Hartle Funeral Home, 1328 Elk Street, Franklin.
Please visit: www.hartlefuneralhome.com for further information and to leave a note of condolence.
