Dick died suddenly on July 18, 2022, in a tragic boating accident on Lake Tahoe.
[Eulogy by hi wife] Dick was the kindest, most wonderful man I’ve ever
known. He was loved and admired by all who knew him. He was
genius-level
smart, but he never made others feel less then. If you wanted to know
a
thing, he’d explain it to you. But he wouldn’t waste time trying to
smarten up a chump. He did not suffer fools.
He did not go gently into that good night. Through difficult health
issues, he prevailed, struggled, and fought, always with dignity and
strength.
He loved me immensely and told me so every day. I was everything to him,
and he to me. He was romantic and tender, adventurous, funny and fun.
Dick earned his BS from UC Berkeley and his PhD in BioPhysics from UC
San Diego. Dick served at the University of Michigan between
1970-2000,
rising to the rank of Senior Distinguished Research Biophysicist due
to
his significant contributions to the science of electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR). Dick was a collaborator and research scientist with
Richard H. Sands, and then after Dr. Sands retired from U. Michigan in
the
early 1990s, took charge of the EPR laboratory in the Biophysics
department and acted as an advisor to several graduate students.
During
his tenure at the University of Michigan, Dick was a well-loved and
respected scientist with a seemingly boundless knowledge of physics
and an
obvious passion for good science. Dick wrote some of the first
simulation
software for EPR experiments. Some of his research interests were in
the
characterization and regulation of metal-ion-containing enzymes.
Dick was a true renaissance man. His father taught him carpentry; he could
build just about anything, including houses. There was nothing he
couldn’t
fix. His nephews called him, “the strongest man on earth.” He once
lifted
a fallen tractor off his father.
He was known for his cheerfulness, his beautiful smile, and his optimism.
He always said, “It’s a choice.” He was a hard worker, and he never
complained about a thing. He invariably had several projects going. He
loved working on projects with his sons.
Dick is survived by his wife, Jeanette; his beloved and cherished sons,
Tom and Steve Dunham; and his sisters Donna Wilcox and Peggy Sue
Moore. He
had five grandchildren, all of whom he loved deeply: Drew Dunham, Ben
Dunham, Leah Dunham, Lucas Dunham, and Jacob Dunham.
A memorial service was held in late August, 2022.