William (Bill) Leo Dunivan passed away on August 5, 2020, in the oncology wing of Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames after a year-long battle with cancer.
Bill was born on Aug. 20, 1939, at home in Jackson Township, Greene County, to parents Russell Ray Dunivan and Helen Audrey (Miller) Dunivan. He grew up on the family farm with sisters Kay, Jean, Rita, Shirley (Shod) and Ruth (Toot). He attended country school in Bristol Township, and graduated from Scranton High School.
He was married to Karen Mae Dozier on Aug. 31, 1957, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson, by Father J.P. McGuire. The couple had two daughters, Lori Dunivan and Jan (Dunivan) Hartz.
Bill worked for Carl’s Phillip 66 and Figenshaw Furniture before starting work with Morton Buildings, Inc. in 1974. He was promoted to crew foreman at Morton in 1975, and in 1976 was promoted to salesman. In 1985 he was made Morton Buildings office manager of the Jefferson office and held that position until retirement in 2002. He was a Dale Carnegie Course graduate, and while employed at Morton Buildings he earned many awards and incentive trips. He and Karen were able to travel extensively throughout Europe and the Caribbean. They had many friends and fellow travelers with the company.
Bill was a Certified Descendent of Francis Cook of the Mayflower.
For eight years, Bill served in the Army National Guard, receiving an honorable discharge.
Bill was a charter member of the Jefferson BPO Elks Lodge #2306 and remained a member for over 50 years. He also belonged to a men’s card club which played together for over 40 years.
His hobbies were traveling, playing cards, hunting and trap shooting. He was a Hawkeye fan and an avid reader.
Bill especially loved spending time with his girls, grandchildren and great- granddaughters.
Bill is survived by wife Karen of Jefferson; daughters Lori Lee Dunivan (Robert “Bob” Cisneros) of Salt Lake City, UT, and Janis Ann (Lyle Jeffrey “Jeff”) Hartz of Fredericksburg, TX; granddaughter Stacy Kay (Daniel Jay “Jay”) Tollerene of Prosper, TX; grandson Captain Hunter Jeffrey (Courtney) Hartz of Hornell, NY; great- granddaughters Blakely and Carmen Tollerene of Prosper and Rosalee Hartz of Hornell; sisters Kay (Rod) Wallis of Los Angeles, CA, Jean Finch and Rita (Larry) Teeples of Jefferson, Shirley “Shod “ (Mike) Harrington, of Fergus Falls, MN, and Ruth “Toot” (John) Wiegand of Maple Grove, MN; sisters-in-law Jolene (John) Oyer, of New Braunfels, TX, and Margaret McCloud Dozier of Melbourne, FL; brother-in-law Duane Dozier of Jefferson; aunt Rita Dunivan of Jefferson; and cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Preceding Bill in death were his parents Russell (“Rusty”) Dunivan and Helen Dunivan, mother-in-law Margaret Gregory, and brothers-in-law Floyd Benton (“Benny”) Dozier, Wesley (“Wes”) Allen Finch, Herbert (“Herb”) Barton, and Edmond (“Ed”) Roy Williams.
A private family visitation will be held at Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home, with burial at Jefferson Municipal Cemetery.
The family asks that no flowers be sent. Those who wish may send donations in Bill’s memory to the Jefferson library or to the William R. Bliss Cancer Center at Mary Greeley Medical Center in Ames.
