C. R. "Bob" Dunne

C.R. “Bob” Dunne, 91, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend, died on July 6,2022.

A private family service has been planned.

Bob was born to Darcy Edgar and Elizabeth (Testard) Dunne, Jr. on January 7, 1931 in Wichita, Kansas.  He was one of four children: Darcy Edgar, III (Sonny), Betty Marie (Sis) and Nancy…

He developed his love and loyalty for family and his zest for life early on with his siblings.

He graduated from Wichita East High School in 1949 and graduated from the University of Kansas in 1952 as a proud member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.  He served in the United States Army from 1953-1955.

Bob enjoyed lifelong friendships with friends made in his early school days. He forged new friendships with fraternity brothers that would last their lifetimes.  And then he met Sara Lawrence.

Bob and Sara were married on April 23, 1960 in Lawrence, Kansas.  And so began a love story for the ages. For 62 years, through ups and downs, successes and failures, triumphs and tragedies, their marriage has stood every test of time.  And they have laughed together all along the way.  They have truly loved each other well. Together they had four children: Edger, Georgia, Katie and Allan.  They have twelve grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren.  Bob was uniquely able to capture great events and emotions in just a few short words.  He often pronounced, “Family is everything.”  His actions spoke even louder than those words.

Bob spent his work life managing and running family businesses, notably in the oil & gas and ranching industries.  He started in business with his father in the mid-1950s and was still involved in deals with his sons when he passed.  A true “wildcatter” at heart, Bob had no formal training in risk management, capital allocation theories or hedge strategies, but he was a natural in all of them and used these tools to help him explore for oil in all different economic conditions.  He loved nothing more than sitting a discovery well with the rig crew and waiting for the samples to come in.  Over the course of his career, Bob made significant oil & gas discoveries in the mid-continent region, managed a family ranch in the Flint Hills, developed real estate projects in Lawrence, KS and successfully invested across a variety of private and public platforms.

Often heard telling young people in and out of his family, “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life”,  Bob Dunne never worked a day in his life.  He truly enjoyed the game of business and the puzzle of putting a good deal together, regardless of the industry.  He partnered with many different people and companies over the years, and he believed that a handshake and a promise with an honest man were better than the strongest legal contract an attorney could write.  He honored every deal he ever made, and he never subscribed to the idea that a person should have a separate set of principles for “business life”.  He enjoyed great working relationships and partnerships with others who held these same views of the world.  Some of his long-time partners affectionately referred to him as “The Interrogator” due to his proclivity for cutting right to the heart of business issues with his pointed questions and determination to reach the truth.  And while he enjoyed a variety of hobbies with family and friends through his years, his true hobby was always turning over questions and puzzles in his mind.

Bob will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew him.  A kindhearted gentleman of dignity and integrity, he extended that dignity to everyone he met.  He will be remembered as often being the best dressed in the room.   A lover of the finer things in life including good food and better drink.  A man whose generosity knew no bounds, his love for family and friends was unconditional.  He was quick to forgive and always, always, always looked for the positive in all circumstances.  He enjoyed following the Kansas Jayhawks and the Kansas City Royals. He loved music and dancing.  He found beauty in Nature, including the geological wonder of the Rocky Mountains and American West.  He especially loved the Kansas Flint Hills.  He was a beautiful golfer, and he loved the art of fly fishing.  More than the fishing, he loved his fishing pals. Above all else, he loved Saramom and the life they built together.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Betty Dunne, his brother Sonny and his sister Nancy.

He is survived by his wife Sara, his sister Betty Nelson of Mission, Kansas and his children:

Edger (Becca) Dunne; Georgia (Patrick) Ahern; Katie Dunne Frank; and Allan (Nicole) Dunne; all of Wichita; his twelve grandchildren: Bo (Megan) Dunne; John Dunne; Miles Dunne; Toren (Kristen) Droge; Jake (Alli) Droge; Gracie (Conner) Smith; Johnie Frank; Ellie Frank; Megan Ahern; Bobby Ahern; Charlie Dunne; and Darcy Dunne; ten great grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews.