Dr. Durwood Clay Dunn, 70, of Athens, TN, passed away early Saturday, February 15, 2014, at Starr Regional Medical Center.
He was born in Ft. Oglethorpe, Georgia, he was the youngest son of Charles Snyder Dunn, Sr. and Lucille
(Oliver) Dunn, and was also preceded in death by three brothers, Robert L. Dunn, Charles S. Dunn and John O. Dunn.
He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
He received his B.A., with honors, in History and Latin, from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in 1965. He also received his M.A. in History in 1968, as well as his Ph.D. in History in 1976 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
Dr. Dunn resided in Athens, TN since 1975. He was the Chairman of the Department of History and Political Science at Tennessee Wesleyan College from 1976-2013. He was a member of many academic organizations some of which included: Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, The American Historical Association, and The Society of Appalachian Historians. Throughout his career, he was recognized for his excellence in teaching and scholarship. He received the Lockmiller Teacher of the Year Award (twice), the Friend of Wesleyan Award, and in 2013 was the first recipient of the Durwood Dunn Award. Dr. Dunn was an accomplished author and historian. His most noted works include Cades Cove; The Life and Death of a Southern Appalachian Community. An Abolitionist in the Appalachian South, and the Civil War in Southern Appalachian Methodism.
Survivors are one niece, Linda Dunn Moore; one nephew, Charles S. Dunn; one great-niece and her husband, Lisa and James Carrolton all of Leesburg, Florida; four great-great nieces and nephews, Eleanor, Brett, William and Daniel.
A memorial service will be conducted, Thursday, February 20, 2014, 11:00 am, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Athens, TN with Rev. Dr. William McDonald and Rev. Dr. Steve Brown officiating.
The family suggests memorials be made to Tennessee Wesleyan College, 204 E. College Street, Athens, TN 37303.