Irene Dunbar

DURHAM - Mrs. Irene Gill Dunbar, age 90, died peacefully at her home on September 30, 2024. Irene was born May 29, 1934, in Pleasant Mount, PA, to the late Thomas and Beatrice Roark Gill and graduated from Pleasant Mount High School in 1951. She married Donald Anthony Dunbar, of Binghamton, NY, on October 12, 1957. The two were residents of Binghamton from 1957 to 1965 before relocating to Durham, NC, where they became a part of the residential community of Parkwood. Mrs. Dunbar graduated from Binghamton General Hospital Nursing School in 1954 and attended New York University (NYU). Irene went on to work for the City of Binghamton Health Department before becoming a homemaker. After relocating to Parkwood, in the interest of supporting her community, Mrs. Dunbar served as a neighborhood nurse, helping neighbors with minor health needs such as allergy shots and immunizations. After raising her five children, she worked as a teacher assistant at Westminster School for Young Children in Durham. 

Irene enjoyed spending time with family, creating and admiring art, and listening to music. Filled with an adventurous spirit, and with her husband Don by her side, she loved traveling with family and friends. She was a lifelong and active member of the Catholic Church. She grew up as a member of St. James Roman Catholic Church in Pleasant Mount, then joined Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Durham in 1965, and finally became a founding member of Holy Infant Catholic Church of Durham in 1970. It was at Holy Infant that Irene flourished as part of a tight-knit group of friends, who all grew together into an extended family.

She is survived by her sister, Beatrice Tamkins of Binghamton, NY; son, Robert Dunbar (Pam) of Chapel Hill; son, Daniel Dunbar (Amy) of Rock Hill, SC; son, Richard Dunbar (Susan) of West Union, SC; daughter, Mary Dunbar (Ruth Vienneau) of Durham; son, Chris Dunbar (Joelette) of Cary; and her daughter-in-law, Rhonda Foshee of Raleigh. She had ten grandchildren: Jonathan Dunbar (Lindsey Bosko-Dunbar), Jessica Dunbar (Jeremy Johnson), Laura Dunbar Hostnik (Eric Hostnik), Michael Dunbar, Allison Canington (Tyler Canington), Asa Dunbar, Travis Dunbar, Sarah Dunbar, Claire Vienneau, and Rayven Vienneau. Irene doted on her eight great-grandchildren and looked forward to every opportunity to spend time with Everett, Levon, Bowie, Genevieve, Lena Irene, Lillian, Harper, and Rae. 

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Dunbar was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Donald Dunbar; her brother, John Gill; her sister-in-law, Patricia Gill; and her brother-in-law, Gerald Tamkins, all of Binghamton, NY. 

A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Infant Catholic Church in Durham, NC. The family will receive visitors there from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. preceding the mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Drive, Durham, NC, 27713 (www.holyinfantchurch.org). The Dunbar family is under the care of Hall-Wynne Funeral Home. Online condolences may be submitted at www.hallwynne.com. (Select Obituaries, then Durham)