Olin E. Dunbar

Olin E. Dunbar, 79, a resident of Bettendorf, Iowa died on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus in Davenport, Iowa.
His funeral service will be held at 10:00 A.M., Monday, October 27, 2008 at the McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Chapel in Bettendorf. Burial will be in the Rock Island National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. Sunday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or to a charity of the donor’s choice.
He was born November 13, 1928 in Quincy, Illinois, the son of Olin J. & Ollie (Battles) Dunbar. He attended grade school and high school in Quincy, graduating in 1946. He finished in the top 25% of his class and was a member of the National Honor Society. He then attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky and was the recipient of the Scholarship Key. In 1957, he graduated in the top 3% of his class with a bachelor’s degree in industrial administration.
In 1951, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and in 1952 graduated from Officer’s Candidate School, the number one ranking officer in a class of 74 men. Olin was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1953.
He met his future wife, Verna M. Muellerleile the first week of September of 1953 at a place called the “Dog House” in Louisville, Kentucky. They went bowling on their first date and their engagement was announced at Christmas of 1953. Olin & Verna were married on June 12, 1954 in Louisville. Their first “home” was a converted two-car garage which they rented and consisted of a living room, kitchen, bedroom & bathroom all combined. Their first “real” home they owned was purchased in Bettendorf in September of 1962 where they still resided.
Olin retired as the manager of Production Planning and Inventory Control on September 30, 1985 from American Air Filter of Moline, Illinois after 28 years of faithful service.
Among the things he enjoyed were playing golf, coin collecting, sports & automobiles, music and dancing. Olin had many talents including making custom-made golf clubs.
He was a charter member and the first treasurer of the American Production and Inventory Control Society, a charter member of the Catfish Jazz Society and a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church of Bettendorf.
Those left to honor his memory include his beloved wife, Verna; his daughter, Mary (Jim) Lewis of Moline, Illinois; his sons, Michael (Anne) Dunbar of Prophetstown, Illinois, James (Linda) Dunbar of Plano, Texas, John Dunbar of Bettendorf and Paul (Amy) Dunbar of Riverside, Iowa; eleven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; stepsisters, Helen & Katherine; and many special nieces & nephews.
His stepsisters, Louise & Margaret and his parents preceded him in death.