Priscilla May Dunn (née Caka) passed away peacefully in Austin, TX on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2020, at the age of 79 after a short illness. Priscilla was born in Cherryville, New Jersey on April 25, 1941 to John J. Caka Sr. and his wife Clara (Stueber) Caka, and into a big family that adored her. She married Claude Gerald “Jerry” Dunn on August 25, 1962 in Cherryville, New Jersey.
Priscilla’s love for flying stemmed from stories told by her three pilot brothers: Georgie and John who served during WW II and Richard who served in the Korean War. Georgie parachuted from his P-47 plane bound for Iwo Jima, approximately two days before V-J Day in the Pacific Theatre of Operations when the flight of planes was caught in a typhoon. He received a meritorious citation posthumously. John was an Army Corps veteran of WW II and was discharged after a bad airplane crash left him partially paralyzed. John continued his natural talent and passion for flying and teaching until the age of eighty.
Soon after Priscilla’s 1959 graduation from Hunterdon Central High School in Flemington, New Jersey, she joined the 30th Air Transport Squadron as a flight attendant. Priscilla made crossings to Paris, Madrid, England, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Turkey and India. Priscilla served as Airman Third Class and was Miss Armed Forces three years in succession—the first from McGuire AFB to hold this honor for an extended period.
After her travels with the Armed Forces, Priscilla shared a long and happy life with her husband, Jerry (1st Lt Air Force, American Airlines-pilot 29 years), raising two sons, Stephen and David, and building a successful custom home and commercial office building enterprise in Euless, Texas. They enjoyed renovating their condo in Copper Mountain, Colorado and skiing. Once in Rockport, Texas, Priscilla created a serene garden across the bay from their home, she called it “En Plein Aire,” and spent her time on the coast gardening and supporting the Rockport Center of the Arts; Jerry passed away in 2006. Priscilla moved to Austin, Texas where she was a member of the Austin Skiers Club and traveled broadly including two trips to New Zealand. She continued her love of the arts creating works in charcoal and pastels. Her holiday gingerbread men cookies were legendary, and members of the Dunn family have spent the past years training, under her tutelage, to carry on her wonderful tradition.
Priscilla is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Claude Gerald “Jerry” Dunn; her parents, Clara and John J. Caka Sr; her three brothers: 2nd Lieutenant George W. Caka, 2nd Lieutenant John G Caka of Flemington, NJ, and Richard C. Caka of Bethlehem Township; and two dear dachshunds, Gretchen I and Gretchen II.
Priscilla is survived by her two sons: Stephen P. Dunn and wife Kim of Houston, Texas and David G. Dunn and wife Debbie of Austin, Texas; her granddaughters, Dr. Sydney Dunn-Valadez and her husband Brandon, Abbie Dunn, and Emma Dunn; her two sisters: Claire Holmsen and husband Ted of Clayton, California and Barbara Gordon and husband David of Engleberg, Switzerland; and sister-in-law, Janet F. (Major) Caka.
The Dunn Family would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Rich Ellmer.
There will be a small family service in Palestine, Texas.
A special thanks to ComforCare Home Care, the Longhorn Village staff, and the team at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Lakeway. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to TheTrailFoundation.org which is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake or the Rockport Center for the Arts at https://www.rockportartcenter.com/.
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