Clyde Roy Dunaway

February 25, 1943 – September 26, 2025

Clyde Roy Dunaway, 82, of Garland, Texas, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 26, 2025. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 25, 1943, Clyde lived a life marked by kindness, generosity, and steadfast devotion to the people he loved.

A proud Memphian, Clyde attended Memphis State University, where he earned a spot on the freshman basketball team. He went on to build a remarkable 47-year career as a conductor with Illinois Central Gulf railroad and Canadian National Railroad. The friendships forged on the rails became a lifelong brotherhood—bonds he treasured and maintained to the very end.

Known to many simply as “Pop,” Clyde never met a stranger. He had a heart for service and a gift for encouragement. Whether offering a listening ear, helping a neighbor with a project, or supporting a friend through the challenges of Lou Gehrig’s disease, Clyde showed up—quietly, consistently, and without fanfare. He was raised in a modest neighborhood near the Memphis airport but was rich in what mattered most: generosity, time, and love.

Clyde’s enthusiasm for sports expressed itself in many ways. He was a philosopher of the game and a natural teacher, happily investing his “extra time” in his children and grandchildren—coaching, advising, and cheering. As a volunteer girls’ basketball coach at St. Joseph Catholic School in Richardson, he championed discipline and defense, believing the lessons of the court could shape character well beyond the final buzzer. He stayed active with a daily commitment to the gym, where he made yet more friends who became family.

He and his beloved wife, Sheila, shared a passion for antiques and once owned shops together in Mississippi. Clyde spoke of Sheila with deep affection, often saying she had “literally saved his life.” At home, he was a gracious host and a true connoisseur of bourbon—organizing tastings for close friends and even using them to raise funds for the St. Joseph athletic department. A gifted storyteller, Clyde could hold a room with tales from the railroad, recollections of games and memories of special friends from the railroad and antique trips.

After retirement, Clyde moved to Texas to be near his grandchildren, Madison and Jackson—an era of joy defined by train trips, summer visits, school concerts, and countless games and meets. He rarely missed a performance or competition; he was their biggest fan, their steady presence, and their ever-ready encourager.

Clyde is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sheila Dunaway; his daughter, Julie Mills, and son-in-law, Craig Mills; his son, Josh Garrett; his sister, Lela Faye Richardson, and his adored grandchildren, Madison Mills and Jackson Mills. He also leaves behind a wide circle of extended family and friends whose lives he brightened with his humor, wisdom, and unfailing support.

Clyde will be remembered as a devoted husband, a loving father, a doting “Pop,” and a loyal friend—a man who always knew the right thing to say and the right way to help. His legacy is one of generosity, strength, and joy.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Sparkman/Hillcrest in Dallas, Texas.

The family is grateful for the love and support shown during this time and invites all who knew Clyde to join in celebrating a life well lived—a life that gave freely and loved fully.