MEMBER OF THE MONTH – BILL DUNBAR

Each month we are highlighting a different church member. This month, meet Bill Dunbar! Bill is a lifelong resident of Crafton and has always been a part of our church. His grandparents and uncles were members of the congregation, as were his parents. Bill has actively participated in the church over the years, including service as a deacon, a trustee, finance chairman, property chairman, nominating committee chairman and pulpit nominating committee member. Bill currently serves as an elder and is the leader of the ROMEOs group.

Bill graduated from Crafton High School. From there, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Muskingum College and did further studies at Lafayette College in the field of mechanical engineering.

Bill worked for 17 years for Gulf Oil at their Research Center in Harmarville. He left that position when Chevron bought out Gulf Oil and closed the lab. Later he worked for 25 years, until retiring, as the Buildings Superintendent for the 4-building headquarters of Union National Bank (downtown at 4^th and Wood).

Bill has spent parts of 73 summers at Chautauqua Institution in western New York. Bill’s Aunt Mary Troop’s grandfather and father were Methodist ministers and were among the first cottage owners at Chautauqua when it became a Methodist summer camp for Sunday School teachers. Rev. Howard (Mary Troop’s father) married Bill’s mother and father, and they used Rev. Howard’s cottage for their honeymoon, and they never stopped going there. Bill continues to use the cottage a great deal, especially throughout the summer season.

Bill served in the navy from 1945-1946 and was a radioman on the Battleship Iowa.

Bill enjoys playing tennis twice a week, and he likes to go boating when he’s up at Chautauqua.

Bill indicated that “Amazing Grace” is his favorite hymn, and he noted that Psalm 139 is particularly meaningful to him.