Franklin E Dunlap

Frank E. Dunlap
April 14, 1933-March 25, 2016

Franklin (Frank) Easter Dunlap, 82, of Farmington, passed away at home on Friday, March 25, 2016, surrounded by his beloved family. He was born April 14, 1933 in Ralls, Texas to W.R. and Blanche (Easter) Dunlap. He graduated from Ralls High School and earned his bachelor's degree in education at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.

Frank was a colorful, outgoing, talented, complicated and sentimental man, an award-winning boxer and boxing coach, an actor, educator and "medicine man." He learned to box in college and won both state and regional Golden Gloves championships in the late 1950s. He began his teaching career in 1959 in Big Spring, Texas, where he taught distributive education. A year later, he accepted a teaching position in Pagosa Springs, Colo., where he met his wife of 54 years, Lala Archuleta. They married on April 9, 1961 and had two children, a daughter, Luann, and a son, Andrew.

An adventurer at heart, Frank heard the call of the North Country and moved to Alaska in 1961. He served as a school principal and teacher in the communities of Soldotna and Tyonek from 1961-1969.

In addition to his work as a teacher and principal in the remote Native American community of Tyonek, he also served as the village doctor for several years, providing medical care and health education to the residents. He was very proud of his service and was well-loved by the residents, many of whom he maintained contact with until his last days. In 2010, he wrote and published a book about his experience, "How a Teacher from the Southwest Became an Alaska Medicine Man."

In 1972, the family moved to Plainview, Texas, where Frank worked for Bell Dairy and Frito-Lay. He founded a Golden Gloves boxing club for youth in 1974 and led the club to 36 championships between 1974-79. Along with his work in Tyonek, Frank considered this his greatest accomplishment.

He and Lala moved to Farmington in 1988. He ran a property clean-up service for five years and drove a school bus before retiring in 2008. Frank enjoyed playing golf and won a senior tournament at Civitan Golf Course several years ago. He often said he missed his calling to be either a professional coach or a lumberjack, as he loved to cut firewood in his later years.

He is survived by his wife, Lala, of Farmington; his son, Rusty Hood of Oak Harbor, Wash.; his daughter, Luann of Lubbock, Texas; his son, Andrew of Farmington; and granddaughters, Shelby Dunlap of Oakland, Calif., Annie Stafford of Austin, Texas, and McKenzie Dunlap of Farmington. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Roy, and his sisters, Willie Ruth, Marie and Mary.

A memorial service is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, April 9, 2016 at First United Methodist Church at 808 N. Monterey in Farmington.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that all concerned send flowers to a loved one to celebrate life.