Wilson Dunn

Merchant, sportsman and entrepreneur, Wilson Dunn passed on to join his heavenly Father and wife, the love of his life, whom he married in 1940 "Miss Polly" Snellings, Thanksgiving evening, November 24 at his home.



He was born June 5, 1918 in Rossville to Frank and Agnes Hewlett Dunn. He enjoyed a full and rich life through his over 65 year successful business career with his bride "Polly" by his side. They began their journey together after their marriage in Grand Junction and subsequent move to Anniston, Ala where Mr. Dunn was employed by the Shapleigh Hardware Company of Memphis. During this period of their lives the opportunity to return home to Grand Junction in 1953 and begin their foundational business 'Dunn's Hardware and Dry Goods" presented itself. It was built from scratch, conceived and designed by them, which began with a one page mail out to a hand full of customers and over the next 40 years became one of the USA's premier mail order sporting goods houses.



He was a promoter and sponsor of a civic and economic development initiative that was responsible for Grand Junction's first plant, Structoglass, Inc., as well as introduction of natural gas to the Hardeman Fayette County utility district. For these and many other contributions he was named Hardeman County's man of the decade, Grand Junction's Man of the Year and received special recognition with the Outstanding Small Business Award for the Mid South.



He was the co-founder & significant fund raiser for the National Bird Dog Museum in Grand Junction which was the culmination and physical representation of his passion and love for the world of fine gated horses, well bred and "big running" bird dogs, trainers and owners with whom he shared a kindred spirit and southern appreciation of new opportunities, old Tennessee bourbon and rare ribeye steaks.



Mr. and Mrs. Dunn's decades of commitment and love for the sport of field trial were immortalized on a crisp February morning in 1990 when their legendary 'Dunn's Fearless Bud" was the runaway winner of the Grand National Bird Dog Championship and was awarded the Purina National Champion Dog of the year award in Reno, Nevada. Mr. Dunn and his beloved "Dunn's Fearless Bud" are both enshrined in the National Bird Dog Hall of Fame, an honor for which he and Mrs. Dunn were deeply appreciative of.



Never one to not share his opinions (he did not want to be unclear on his political, religious or business foundational beliefs) with those whom he felt "still had some thinking and living to do" or resources with those in need, Mr. Wilson was an honorable, God fearing, passionate, hardworking man of his word who loved life, and felt blessed to have a loving and faithful wife, who preceded him in death after 68 years of marriage, two daughters and their husbands, Linda and Sam Jennings of Oxford, Miss., Nancy and Rodney Chamblee of Jackson, Miss.; four grandchildren and their spouses, Dr. Brad and Kristin Jennings of Houston, Tex., Craig and Denise Jennings of Oxford, Miss., Stacy and Randy Meek of Mobile, Ala., and Luke and Beth Chamblee of Madison, Miss.; and 8 great grandchildren.