Cecil Dunn, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend passed away at Providence Hospital in Spokane, WA on Sunday April 21, 2024. Cecil suffered severe head injuries after a Parkinson’s related fall on April 20,2024. The family wishes to thank the hospital staff for their valiant efforts to save her life, and then comfort her, and the family, in her final hours.
Cecil was the cherished only child of parents Merle and Laura Willcuts, who adopted her at birth on May 1, 1946, in Long Beach, CA. Cecil enjoyed a childhood filled with family/church related activities, Dodger baseball games, and music, as her dad was a choir director. She started piano lessons at 6, and was playing in church by 11, and later was an organist for several churches.
She graduated high school in 1964 in Lakewood, CA. She obtained her B.S. degree in Microbiology & Chemistry from California State University at Long Beach. She taught 8th grade science for a year, then pursued a career as a licensed ASCP Medical Technologist. She completed her yearlong training at Children’s Hospital in Orange, CA. Her career would span over 40 years.
While in college she met her future husband, James Dunn. They were married in 1966. Together they welcomed two wonderful children: a son Darren, and later a daughter Laurie.
Cecil and Jim relocated to Montana in 1976 , where she took a position at Missoula’s Community Hospital. She loved their new life in Florence and became a real “country girl.” She grew a huge garden every summer. She and Jim spent years raising horses, cattle, dogs, cats, sheep, and kids! In the early 80’s she also was the volunteer organist at the Florence Carlton Community Church. In the 1990’s Cecil served in many volunteer positions with the ASCP (American Society of Clinical Pathologists) in Chicago and was given awards for her many years of outstanding service.
She resigned from Community Hospital in late 2001 to accept a new position with the U. S. Dept. of State/Foreign Service as a Regional Med Tech managing embassy related labs around the world. After selling their Florence property and insurance business they moved to live and work at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia. Later assignments included U.S. embassies in Jakarta, Cairo, and Wash. D.C. and traveling to over 75 countries. Her career in the Foreign Service ended in 2011 due to mandatory retirement. She and Jim relocated to Washington state to be near family.
In 2015 Cecil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. She fought the disease by diligently exercising. In 2023 her condition worsened, and after several falls, she was approved to undergo Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery in Dec. & January. By March the DBS treatment was so successful she felt almost normal again. She, the family, and friends were ecstatic with the results. Then, the tragic accident.
Cecil was preceded in death by her parents, Merle and Laura Willcuts. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Jim, her son Darren (Amy), Salt Lake City, daughter Laurie (Jason) Colbert, WA, her grandsons Landon, Levi, her granddaughter Megan Roots, Phoenix, her cousin Esther Quigley, Las Vegas, and her dear sister-in-law Sandy Voss and husband Monte, Galesburg, IL. She’ll be missed by her many friends and colleagues around the country and world.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Florence Carlton Community Church, Florence, MT on Saturday, August 24th at 1 PM, with a reception following in the community room. The service will be available live, and later via the church’s Facebook/YouTube sites.