John Dunham

John Dunham, a devoted father, proud veteran and compassionate medical professional, passed away Thursday, May 22, 2025, at Eldora Specialty Care after a courageous battle with lung cancer. He was 75.

Services are currently pending. With honor, Adams Celebration of Life is serving the family.

Born in 1949 in Marshalltown to Ruby (passed 2010) and Ernest Dunham (passed 1979), John grew up with a strong sense of family, duty and resilience. He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1967 and joined the U.S. Navy the following year. He served honorably as a 2nd Class Petty Officer in Aviation during the Vietnam War, earning the National Defense Service Medal and reaching the rank of E-5 before his honorable discharge in 1972.

After his military service, John pursued his passion for science and healthcare. He earned his associate in sciences from Marshalltown Community College in 1974 and later graduated from Iowa State University in 1978 with a bachelor of science in zoology. His dedication to helping others led him to a long and successful career as a medical technologist.

John worked at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines (1978-1980), Skiff Medical Center in Newton (1980-1993), Wagner Community Hospital in South Dakota (1993-1998), and finally BVRMC in Storm Lake, where he served as laboratory manager until his retirement in 2009. He was an active member of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association, serving as president of its Iowa Chapter from 1989 to 1991, and an associate member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

John married Raye Brandt Dunham in 1985 and was a proud father to their two children, Lucas and Crystal. Though they divorced in 1992, he remained a devoted and loving father, raising his children on his own and giving them a life full of support, strength and unwavering love.

John lived his life with warmth, humor and quiet strength. He enjoyed cooking — especially a good steak — golfing, fishing, woodworking and reading books by his favorite authors, Lee Child and David Baldacci. He loved spending time with his grandkids, picking them up from school and taking them to McDonald’s, and making special memories. In retirement, he spent his winters in Myrtle Beach, S.C., golfing with friends and enjoying the ocean breeze — until the pandemic brought him back home.

He shared many joyful days with his dear friends Lana and Penny, with whom he fished, visited casinos and simply sat outside enjoying the weather and each other’s company.

A two-time cancer survivor — overcoming larynx cancer in 2003 and prostate cancer in 2024 — John’s strength and perseverance inspired everyone who knew him. Even when faced with a final diagnosis of lung cancer, he never gave up. He fought bravely until the very end.

John is survived by his son Lucas Dunham and wife Jacqueline, and their children Amy Carcamo and Ayden Dunham; daughter Crystal Dunham; brother James (Jim) Dunham and wife Jeannette; sister Carol Dresser (husband Dave passed 2017); and nieces and nephews, Jason Dunham (fiancé Jessica Eubanks) and Jenny Ver Woert (husband Andy). His family will forever carry his memory in their hearts.

He is now at peace, free from pain — perhaps enjoying a round of golf and a perfectly cooked steak by the ocean.