Nathaniel Wilson Dunlap Jr
Nathaniel Wilson (Bill) Dunlap Jr, passed away in the Peace and Harmony of his family on October 10, 2016.
Bill was born in Anderson, SC on April 10, 1941. His proud parents were the late Nina Beatty Dunlap and Nathaniel Wilson (Bill) Dunlap.
He attended North Fant Elementary, McCants Jr High and Boys High School. He played junior varsity football and varsity basketball. Upon graduation in early June 1959, he enrolled in the College of Engineering at Clemson University, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Parallel to the engineering studies, he was active in US Air Force ROTC, graduating on 25 Jan 1964, with a BSME and 2nd Lt, US Air Force. He entered US Air Force pilot school in early June 1964 at Moody AFB, Georgia. Shortly before pilot school graduation, he had his one and only blind date with a beautiful local young lady, Patsy F. Garvin. Bill went on to C-130E flight upgrade school at Stewart AFB, Tenn. Patsy went on to University of Georgia. They were married over a year later on July 17, 1966.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Patsy Garvin Dunlap; their four wonderful children; son NW (Billy) Dunlap III, and his wife, Eleanor; daughter Robin Dunlap Wilson and her husband, James; son Derek T. Dunlap and his wife Renee and daughter April Dunlap Czarsty and her husband Steve. Also survived by ten precious angel Grandchildren. Jordan Sullivan Dunlap, Emily Holland Dunlap, Blakely Caroline Wilson, Katherine Riley Wilson, Presley Grace Dunlap, Cruz Thomas Dunlap, Layla Kathryn Dunlap, Reynolds Ellison Czarsty, Kennedy Rollins Czarsty and Campbell Beatty Czarsty. All the Grandchildren loved their “PaPa”.
Bill often told his family that flying airplanes was the only thing he was ever good at. It must have come very natural for him. While at Clemson in US Air Force ROTC, he participated in the student Flight Instruction Program, a one year long flight instruction program. He finished the entire program in just 28 days. USAF ROTC had that written up in Air Force Times, the world wide Air Force journal, as such had never been done before. After receiving the Air Force regular commission, he finished both Basic Flight Training (T-37 jets) and Primary Flight Training (T-38 supersonic jets) in less than the syllabus time required for graduation.
Dunlap saw combat in the Viet Nam war. He received several Air Force medals, such as the Viet Nam Service, Air Medal with oak leaf clusters. The one he was proud of came one day when he was air craft commander trying to get 30,000 lbs of ammunition in to the small, remote Marine outpost of Khe Sahn in the very northern part of South Viet Nam. The Siege of Khe Sahn was underway, the field was under attack, there was even a hole in the runway but the Marines were in need. He landed the C-130E, never stopped, released the load and drove the big cargo plane out from underneath the load, took off and by the time they were on takeoff roll, mortar rounds were exploding beside the runway. The enemy was shooting at the airplane. Captain Dunlap wrote up and turned in a recommendation of commendation for his loadmaster that day for meritorious service while both in combat and under fire. After returning to the US, and stationed at Patrick AFB, Florida, Maj Gen David Jones awarded Captain Dunlap the Distinguished Flying Cross. Easily, the highlight of his Air Force career.
With young children beginning to arrive, he eased out of the Air Force because he had seen enough war. He began an engineering career with JE Sirrine Co in Greenville, where he began studying to be a thermal power plant design engineer in July 1969. In the spring of 1983, the company merged with CRS engineers and architects of Houston, Texas, forming CRS Sirrine. Dunlap left CRSS after of 25 years and rising in the ranks to several management positions. He continued his power plant work for another six years with Duke Energy in Charlotte as Engineering Director of all unregulated (merchant) power plants worldwide. Duke Energy decided to exit the Merchant Power Market, after being quite successful. Bill Dunlap joined AMEC, a large British engineer and construction company, in Greenville, where he had a very successful career for over 15 years in thermal power plant design and installation.
Bill was a member of The First Baptist Church, Greenville, SC. He was a long time member of the Carson Sunday School Class. He also served as a Deacon and served the Church as responsible person for sound reinforcement design and operation in all areas of the Church for over 30 years.
A Celebration of his life will be held on Thursday, October 13th at First Baptist Church, Greenville, at 5:00 pm. His family will receive friends prior to the Service starting at 3:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church or The Cancer Society of Greenville.
