Albert L. Dunnegan's Obituary
Albert Lee Dunnegan was born May 25, 1927 to Homer Lee and Mary (Kastning) Dunnegan in Seymour, Missouri. He departed this life on April 5, 2007 at St. John’s Regional Health Center in Springfield, Missouri at the age of seventy-nine years, ten months, and eleven days. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Eula, his brother, Alvin, his daughter-in-law Teri, his great-granddaughter Alexis, and his best friend, Betsy Darling. Albert grew up on a farm south of Mansfield and attended Flat Rock School. During the Depression the Dunnegans grew a truck patch of tomatoes. Homer and his sons would load the tomatoes on a horse drawn wagon and take them up the Mansfield Hill to town where they sold one ton of tomatoes for $12.00. Albert graduated from Mansfield High School in 1945. During high school Albert worked for MFA. Albert reported to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, was sworn into the Army and bided his time on a work detail there. Some of the 1500 recruits were given the opportunity to be discharged from the Army and to join another branch of the service. Albert chose the Air Force and reported for nine weeks of basic training in Amarillo, Texas. Albert was processed out of Biloxi, Mississippi, and boarded a troop train to Camp Stoneman, California. Albert then traveled seventeen days by ship from San Francisco to Guam where he served sixteen months. During his stay in Guam, Albert became popular because he and a buddy constructed a washing machine from half a fifty-five gallon drum and a car engine. Everyone else wanted to use the washing machine to wash his uniforms. Upon his return form the service Albert worked for Gorman Short at Sugar Creek. In 1947 Albert began working as a line surveyor for SeMaNo Electric and helped bring electricity to many folks in Seymour, Mansfield, and Norwood. On April 14, 1949 Albert married Eula Mitchell. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1999. They had two children, Harrison Lee and Kay Leanne. Albert and his brother Alvin purchased the Y service station where they sold gas and worked on cars for several years. After the sale of the station, Albert worked thirteen years as a survey engineer for Mid-Continent Engineering in Springfield, Missouri. Their services were contracted to Southwestern Bell Telephone to convert independent crank phone systems to dial systems. Albert surveyed thousands of miles for telephone cable in Arkansas and Missouri. He could not only tell you where any place in either state was located, but also the best way to get there. Albert ran his own engineering firm in Springfield for nine years. After that he went to work for Hutchens Industries in Mansfield as a master electrician and retired from there in 1989. Albert was a member of the American Society of Certified Electrical Engineering Technicians and the Mansfield United Methodist Church. Albert is survived by his son, Harry Dunnegan, of Ava, Missouri; his daughter, Kay Goss, and her husband, Greg, of Mansfield, Missouri; one grandson, Patrick Dunnegan, and his wife, Kathy, of Springfield, Missouri; three granddaughters, Clanci Clemens, and her husband, Tommy, of Little Rock, Arkansas, Tish Goss of Springfield, Missouri, Mandy Flageolle and her husband, Christopher, of Gardner, Kansas; two great granddaughters, Kailee Clemens and Megan Flageolle; his sister-in-law Selma Dunnegan of Springfield, Missouri; and a special cousin, Darrell Henry, of Ava, Missouri. When he was younger Albert’s hobbies included fishing and quail hunting with his dog, Susan. He collected many old cars which included a 1926 Model T Roadster. Albert enjoyed taking Betsy for a ride and talking to his buddies on his CB radio. Albert could fix almost anything, and he was happy to tell you how you could fix things, too. Albert will be remembered for his sharp mind and his never ending supply of entertaining stories. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday in the Mansfield Cemetery. Visitation will be held Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until service time in the funera home. Services are under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Mansfield, Missouri. Memorials to The American Heart Association may be made through the funeral home.
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