Obituary: Gerry Dunkin

Gerry Jane Dunkin of McKinney, former president of Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, died July 16. She was 82. She was born Nov. 18, 1934, in Houston to Max and Mary Mennike. She married Raymond Gerald Dunkin June 4, 1955, at Park Place Baptist Church in Houston. She earned her bachelor of education degree from Baylor University and taught in the Waco, Fort Worth, Lufkin and Quitman school districts. Her great passion was Christian missions, which consumed her life. 

At the 125th anniversary of Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas, Gerry Dunkin (center) is pictured with other past presidents of Texas WMU (left to right) Ophelia Humphrey, Amelia Bishop, Mary Humphries and Jeane Law.In addition to her service as president of Texas WMU from 1988 to 2002, she also was president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ministers’ Wives Conference in 1983 and led women’s conferences and prayer retreats throughout Texas, Utah and Washington, D.C., as well as in Spain, Germany, Australia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. Shortly after Estonia received its independence, she was invited to help begin Woman’s Estonian Missions. As a pastor’s wife 39 years, she fostered local, state and international missions in local churches. She was a member of Cottonwood Baptist Church in Allen. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Maxine Glasscock and Doris Foster. She is survived by her husband, Raymond, of McKinney; a daughter, Cindy Long and husband, Dale, also of McKinney; sons, Carl Dunkin and his wife, Lynn, of Statesville, N.C., and Chris Dunkin and his wife, Amber, of Waco; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 12 noon, July 21, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Allen. The family will receive friends during a visitation beginning at 6 p.m. the evening before at the funeral home. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m., July 22, at Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Lufkin. Memorial donations may be made to WMU of Texas—Mary Hill Davis Offering here.