C.B. Dunshee

C.B. Dunshee

C.B. Dunshee
November 04, 1919 – January 08, 2013
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Proud Husband, Father and Grandfather

Served with Honor, United States Military Veteran

C.B. Dunshee passed away Tuesday morning at Crystal Heights Care Center in Oskaloosa at the age of 93 years, 2 months and 4 days.

Calvin Burdette Dunshee, son of Neil Dow and Jessie Ann Worley Dunshee, was born November 4, 1919 in Chariton, Iowa. He was a 1937 graduate of Chariton High School and a 1939 graduate of Chariton Junior College. While attending college he worked at the Brown’s Shoe Fit Company in Chariton. C.B. enlisted in the United States Navy September 17, 1941 and was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois. There he completed his boot camp training and then served as a yeoman in the chaplain’s department. C.B. married Phyllis Irene Jeffries, April 5, 1942, in Russell, Iowa and they made their home in Waukegan, IL while C.B. was stationed there. After two years, he was sent to San Francisco, where he served in an office on Treasure Island waiting his sea duty assignment. He was assigned to the USS Lesuth, an auxiliary cargo ship, where he served as a senior yeoman. The ship was in the South Pacific for the greater part of two years and participated in various assignments. His first assignment aboard the USS Lesuth was delivery of barrels of 100 octane air plane fuel, backup fuel for the air strip and U.S. military planes on the Ellis Islands. The air strip was under nightly Japanese attacks; fortunately they were not interested in the ships at anchor off the island. The airstrip and planes were what was hurting them most. Another mission had the ship carrying marine groups and equipment for their invasion of the Peleliu Islands in the Palau Islands. They also transported U.S. service men to the states for R & R and Japanese civilian prisoners of war to Pearl Harbor. The ship was converted to a dry provision ship and was the first ship to deliver dry stores to Tokyo Bay. While in the South Pacific, the ship was at several well known island groups to serve their needs. Among those were Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, the Philippines, Eniwetok Atoll, Saipan, Tinian, Guadalcanal, New Hebrides Island (Espiritu Santos Islands, Russell Islands, Admiralty Islands and others. While C.B. was on board, the ship crossed the equator 2-3 times – prompting the Polywog to Shellback (certified) initiation. His ship was also in Tokyo Bay in sight of the USS Missouri when the peace with Japan was signed. While he was on board, he acquired enough points for discharge; he returned to the states on board a carrier and was then sent to Minneapolis for discharge October 15, 1945. Upon his discharge, he returned to Chariton, where Phyllis had been staying with her parents. They returned to Chicago for his education at the Illinois College of Podiatry. He graduated with a Doctor of Podiatry Degree in 1949. C.B.’s grandparents were residents of New Sharon, so drives through Oskaloosa had acquainted him with the community. He and Phyllis moved to Oskaloosa following his graduation and C.B. established the first podiatric office in the community. C.B. served as president of the Iowa Podiatry Society in 1958, he served two three year terms with the Iowa Podiatry Examiners, and he was the Iowa delegate to the American Podiatric Association for several years. He also served as president of the American Podiatric Association’s National Board of Examiners. C.B. volunteered with the Oskaloosa High School and Wm. Penn College Basketball programs early in his career. He took care of the team’s feet and ankles, traveled with the teams and provided their training supplies. He remained in practice until 1991, when he sold it to Dr. Mark Beers. For the next five years he worked one day a week for Dr. Beers. C.B. enjoyed golf, tennis, growing roses and working in his yard. Phyllis passed away, May 23, 2002, and May 5, 2005, C.B. married Evelyn McCaulley. C.B. was a member of the Central United Methodist Church from 1949 to 2005, when he transferred his membership to the First Presbyterian Church. He was also a member of the American Legion Post #34, Elks Lodge #340, and Elmhurst Country Club, of which he was a past president.

C.B.’s family includes his wife, Evelyn of Oskaloosa; his children and their spouses: Robert B. and Linda Dunshee of San Antonio, TX, Patricia I. Van Weelden of Springfield, MO, Jeffrey A. Dunshee and his wife, Cindy Shull, of Willard, MO and Chris E. Dunshee of Phoenix, AZ; six grandchildren: Robert S. Dunshee of Dallas, TX, David S. and his wife Tiffany Dunshee of Plano, TX, Laura L. and her husband Travis Yates of Sarasota, FL, Anna W. and her husband Scott Mooney of Springfield, MO, Jason M. and his wife Lori Van Weelden of Springfield, MO, and Maya and her husband James Cook of Lindenwold, NJ; ten great grandchildren: Ian Dunshee, Timothy Dunshee, Samuel Dunshee, Zachary Dunshee, Hanna Yates, Luke Yates, Ashlyn Mooney, Jacob Van Weelden, Holden Stinnet, and Corinne Dexter; three stepsons & their wives: Randy and Marsha McCaulley of Perry, IA, Greg & Molly McCaulley of Oskaloosa, and Doug and Dana McCaulley of Tustin, CA; six step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren.

Besides his parents and his wife, Phyllis, C.B. was preceded in death by his siblings: Wanda I. White, Moneta W. Taylor, Ardath S. Cronin, Eyden N. Dunshee and Keith B. Dunshee.

Memorial Service: 11 a.m., Saturday morning, January 19, 2013 at First Presbyterian Church with Reverend Dr. Dennis Morey officiating. Military Honors by the Oskaloosa Honor Guard.
Visitation: will begin at 10 a.m., Saturday morning preceding the memorial service January 19, 2013 at the fellowship hall in the First Presbyterian Church.
Interment: Chariton Cemetery in Chariton, Iowa at approximately 2:15 p.m., Saturday, January 19, 2013

Memorials may be made to MHP Hospice Services, First Presbyterian Church or the Crystal Heights Care Center Activity Fund.