Gloria Ann (Jones) Dunlap

GLORIA ANN (JONES) DUNLAP

Iowa City

Gloria Ann (Jones) Dunlap joined her heavenly father early Thursday morning, May 20, 2021, after a valiant battle with metastatic ocular melanoma. Her beloved family were with her at the end.

Gloria was born June 24, 1932, in Dixon, Ill., the youngest of the three children of Timothy Cromwell Jones and Agnes Arvetta Seigling Jones. Gloria graduated from Iowa City High School in 1949 and attended the University of Iowa. She married her lifelong love, Paul Frederick Dunlap, of Iowa City, in 1949.

Family was Gloria's greatest joy. She was a devoted and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and treasured every moment with her family. Gloria was a teacher aide in area elementary schools for several years, after which she worked as an accounting clerk in the University of Iowa offices of Grant Accounting and Audio Visual/Media Resources, from which she retired in 1991.

Until her health made it impossible, Gloria was very active in leadership and activities at St. Mark's and First United Methodist Churches in Iowa City, United Methodist Women's group, area duplicate bridge groups, Questers International, stock investors club, Johnson County Republican Women, the Iowa City High School Alumni Association, Mercy Hospital Guild, the Red Hat Society, and others. She treasured the many dear friends in those groups. Genealogy was a favorite hobby. She meticulously documented her children's lineage for their memberships in the Mayflower Society and the DAR, and traveled to Wales with her daughters to explore family roots. Gloria was a Girl Scout in childhood, and a scout leader for her daughters, culminating in leading her younger daughter Laura's troop on their dream trip to Our Cabana Girl Scout Guide House in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in 1973. She also led Cub Scout troops for her sons.

Gloria was a marvelous cook and loved hosting dinners, parties, groups and meetings of every sort. Visits to her home always were delicious events. Gloria was incredibly artistic and skilled in home decorating, knitting, crocheting, and especially creating sequined felt ornaments and decor that she shared with grateful family and friends.

Gloria was a skilled gardener and especially loved growing roses. In addition to her talents as a homemaker, cook, crafter and gardener, she was a world traveler and always was ready for a trip, be it camping, cruising, or tramping among ancient ruins.

Gloria is survived by her children, Sarah Jean Dunlap Hamann (Alan) of Northbrook, Ill., Paul Frederick Dunlap Jr. (Nancy) of Fort Worth, Texas, Dr. Laura Jane Dunlap of Iowa City, and Charles Stuart Dunlap (Nell) of Des Moines, Iowa; and by grandchildren, Matthew Paul Hamann (Laura) of Nashville, Tenn., Katherine Elizabeth Dunlap of Atlanta, Ga., Paul Frederick Dunlap III, of Austin, Texas, Christopher Eugene Dunlap of Fort Worth, Texas, Michael Paul Dunlap of Des Moines, Iowa, Sandi Burnic of Ankeny, Iowa, and Samir Burnic (Dzenisa) of Ankeny, Iowa; and great-grandchildren, Catherine Ann Hamann and Paul McMain Hamann of Nashville, Tenn., all of whom she loved dearly.

Gloria was preceded in death by her husband, Paul Frederick Dunlap; her parents, Timothy Cromwell Jones and Agnes Arvetta Seigling Jones; her sister, Mary Ellen Jones Clark; her brother, Robert Cromwell Jones; and many dear family and friends.

Gloria truly enjoyed her life, and had very, very special thanks for all those who made it possible for her to continue that enjoyment in recent years, most especially her dear daughter, Dr. Laura Dunlap; also her oncologist, Dr. Scott Miller and the dedicated nursing and personnel at Mercy Hospital; Dr. Todd Ajax of Washington County, (Iowa) Hospital; her family; and Dr. Robert C. Zwicki for his friendship and support.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, May 24, 2021, at the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, where there will be a time of visitation one hour before the services and a short time following the services. (Sunday parking ordinance will be in effect for the streets near the church). Graveside services will be held at 4 p.m. Monday at the Sharon Hill Cemetery in Kalona. Memorial contributions in Gloria's memory may be made to charities dear to Gloria's heart and for which she has provided support for decades, including the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and Veteran's support organizations.

To share a thought, memory or condolence with her family, please visit the funeral home website www.gayandciha.com.