Joseph Dunne Obituary

Durango resident Joseph Edward Dunne III died of a heart attack Sunday, March 28, 2010, at his home. He was 61.

Mr. Dunne was born to Elizabeth and Joseph Edward Dunne Jr. on Nov. 1, 1948, in San Francisco.

On Dec. 18, 1971, he married Barbara Barker in Berkeley, Calif. Mr. Dunne graduated from the University of California

that same year and attended law school at Howard University in Washington, D.C. He was the valedictorian of his

law-school class.

Mr. Dunne practiced law in Washington, D.C., where his main emphasis was on communications and broadcast.

In 1984, when he was 35, Mr. Dunne was ordained a deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.

Mr. and Mrs. Dunne moved to Durango after vacationing in the Four Corners for many years. He continued his law practice

from Durango.

“Joseph was a quintessential bookworm and a well-established wine connoisseur, having a vast collection of wines," his

family wrote. “He was also an animal lover, with many pets that survive him."

Mr. Dunne enjoyed volunteering at Manna Soup Kitchen and Four Corners Health Care Center. He was also involved in the

jail ministry at La Plata County Jail.

Mr. Dunne is survived by his wife of 39 years, Barbara Dunne, of Durango; sons Lonnie Hicks of High Point, N.C., and

Jonathan Dunne of London; daughter, Joanne Martin, of Arvada; brothers Michael Collom of Cameron Park, Calif., and

Patrick Dunne of Livermore, Calif.; sisters Dierdre Dunne Landucci of Renton, Wash., and Erin Sammut of California; and

one grandson.

Cremation will occur. A memorial reception will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today, March 31, 2010, at Hood Mortuary

Chapel. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 1, 2010, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Memorial contributions may be sent to the American Heart Association, 1280 S. Parker Road, Denver, CO 80231; or the

American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 23680, North Canton, OH 44720.