Joseph F. Dunten

Joseph F. Dunten  

Joseph F. Dunten closed his lifebook on February 19, 2019. He was born the 25th of August 1923 to Walter H. Dunten and Mary Mosso Dunten in Hitchcock, Texas. Joe was preceded in death by his father and mother; first wife, Norma J. Norman Dunten; oldest daughter, Diana Jean Dunten; brother, Wilbur H. Dunten; sisters, Pauline Dunten Bock, Alice Dunten Delesandri; daughter-in-law, Yvonna Caddell Dunten. He is survived by his present wife, Dolores Quevedo Schlitzberger Dunten; son, Darrell J. Dunten and wife, DeAnna Lynn; daughters, Nancy Dunten Sullivan and husband, Robert, Susan A. Dunten and husband, Kim Mcgraw; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Joe’s family moved to the La Marque area around 1928. He graduated from La Marque High School in 1941, after graduation he worked for the Cotton Concentration Company in Galveston, Texas. He left this employment in 1942 to join the U.S Army Air Corp. Joe was assigned to the 8th U.S. Army Air Corp in England during World War II where he completed 32 missions as an aerial gunner and flight engineer. After his tour of duty was complete he returned to La Marque. Joe was employed by Pan American Refining Corp. (also named Amoco, British Petroleum and Marathon Oil) retiring in 1981, after 36 years of employment.

Joe was a lifelong communicant at Queen of Peace in La Marque, later transferring to Our Lady of Lourdes in Hitchcock.

Joe met and married Norma J. Norman in 1946. They lived in La Marque where they raised their family over the next 30 years. In retirement, Joe became an avid golfer, making a hole in one at the Texas City Golf Course in 2001. He and Norma traveled extensively in the U.S. and Italy from 1980 to 2004, researching family genealogy. They published several volumes of family history now available at well-known genealogy libraries. They down sized to a new home in Texas City in 2004, Norma died shortly afterward in the same year.   

In December of 2005, Joe married Dolores Queveda Schlitzberger, whom he had met while purchasing a burial headstone for his first wife. They lived in Texas City.  Joe and Dolores both had optimistic outlooks, staying busy visiting children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joe enjoyed time in his garden, and in leisure, taking it easy. Joe married two loving women and had a wonderful mother… what more does a man want?  Time passed quickly, like calendar pages in the wind, until Joe’s death on Tuesday. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends and associates.

A special thank you goes out to Dolores’ daughter, Nanette Jay and son, John Schlitzberger for helping in Joe’s transition at the end of his journey.

In remembrance of Joe's life a Vigil service will be Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at noon in the chapel of Hayes Funeral Home, Reverend John Kappe officiating.  The vigil will be followed by a Rosary in the chapel by Mr. Don LeCompte and the committal service at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Dickinson, Texas.

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