Ralph Dunavant,

Ralph D. Dunavant, Sr. passed away Tuesday, February 23, 2010. He was born, April 15, 1922, in Stoneville, N.C. where he lived until he was hired by the Federal Government and moved to Washington, D.C. just before World War II started. In 1943, he was drafted into the Army Air Corp and spent the remainder of World War II in the South Pacific. He was assigned to the 419th Night Fighter Squadron of the 13th Air Corp in the Intelligence Section. After the war he returned to Washington, D.C. and resumed his Federal Government career while continuing his military service in the Air Force Reserves. In 1948, he married Mildred L. Massey of Haines City, Florida; they met during his Air Corp training in central Florida during the war. He returned to active military duty in 1950 for the Korean War and was stationed at a base in Florida. After the Korean War he resumed his Federal Government career and remained in Florida until 1956 when he took an overseas government post in Frankfurt am Main, West Germany. While there he was a founder of the Bethel Baptist Church in Frankfurt am Main which was the first English language Baptist Church in the city. At the end of 1960 he returned to the United States and settled in Fairfax County until 1996 when he moved to Manassas, Virginia. Mr. Dunavant retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Major. He retired from the Federal Government after 35 years of service. He and his son opened American Printing & Paper Products, a print shop, in Manassas, Va. He worked at the shop every day until shortly before his death. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mildred M. Dunavant; his daughter, Angela K. Dunavant; his son, Ralph D. Dunavant, Jr., his daughter-in-law, Margo J. Dunavant and three grandsons, R. David Dunavant, Andrew S. Dunavant and Matthew J. Dunavant, all of Manassas, Virginia. His funeral is February 27th at 2 p.m. at Pierce Funeral Home, 9609 Center Street, Manassas, Va. with visitation at 1 p.m. until the time of the service. Interment is March 10, 2010 at 2 p.m., in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va. Donations in lieu of flowers to the 419th Night Fighters Squadron. Condolences may be sent to: www.piercefh.com

Ralph Dunavant,

April 15, 1922 - February 23, 2010