Rev. Richard D. “P.D.” Dunning, 84, Milford, passed away at 10:25 a.m. Friday, Feb. 3, 2017 at his home.

He was born on Sept. 10, 1932 in St. Joseph, Mo. to Thomas Jefferson “T.J.”  and Bertha (Smith) Dunning.            

He graduated in 1950 from Atchison High School, Midland University in Fremont, Neb. with his BA Degree and also attended Central Seminary in Fremont, Neb. On Aug. 1, 1954 in Atchison he married Esther L. Shumaker who survives and moved to the Milford area 30 years ago from Sunrise Beach, Mo. He retired in 2001 as pastor of the Grace Lutheran Church in Syracuse after 15 years. He formerly served as pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Middlebury, Grace Lutheran Church in Elkhart, Kent Memorial Lutheran Church in Sunrise Beach, Mo. He served as interim pastor for First English Lutheran Church in Goshen and substituted in various local Lutheran Churches. Totaling 43 years in church ministry and 5 building projects at those churches. 

He was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Syracuse, Alpha Psi Omega National Honorary Dramatic Fraternity, a volunteer usher at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend for 15 years, and was an avid fisherman. 

He is survived by his wife Esther; his daughter, Robin (Rick) DuBois, Dexter, Maine; his son, Richard (DeAne Lagerquist) Dunning II, Northfield, Minn.; his grandson, Thomas Bjorn Lagerquist Dunning; his sister, Mary Zabroski, Morristown, Tenn.

He was preceded by his parents and brother, Thomas Eugene Dunning

Visitation will be from 2–4 and 6–8 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Owen Family Funeral Home, 1001 S. Huntington St., Syracuse. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 8 at Grace Lutheran Church, 203 E Main St., Syracuse with Sr. Nora Frost, Chaplain of Goshen Hospital officiating. Private family burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens in Atchison, KS on Friday, Feb. 10. 

Memorial bequest may be given to Grace Lutheran Church, 203 E. Main St., Syracuse, IN 46567 or Goshen Home Care & Hospice, P.O. Box 723, Goshen, IN 46527. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home and church. To send condolences to the family in Mr. Dunnings’s memory please visit www.owenfamilyfuneralhome.com