Obituary: Arlene Orpha (Sharp) Dunham

Arlene Orpha (Sharp) Dunham

Arlene Orpha (Sharp) Dunham

Arlene Orpha (Sharp) Dunham passed away on Tuesday June 13, 2017 in Prescott Valley, Arizona. She was born in Ashtabula, Ohio on February 9, 1919 to Dale and Detoisa Sharp. As a young woman she played in a Ukulele band and sang and danced in local churches. She graduated from Ashtabula High School in 1937 and shortly thereafter married the love of her life Robert H. Dunham Sr. She worked with her husband in their Fuel Oil and Paving Business in Ashtabula, Ohio, and was also employed by the American Red Cross. Upon moving to California, she and her husband were owners of the Pasadena Travelodge. She was also a Real Estate Broker and volunteered for many years at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Rosa, California where she taught the training class for other volunteers. Arlene loved traveling, tennis and bridge and was and avid reader. She loved life and especially enjoyed entertaining and visiting with family and friends. She moved to Prescott, Arizona in 2011 from Rohnert Park, California. In 2014, Arlene moved to the Alta Vista Retirement Living in Prescott where she had many close friends. We are grateful to Alta Vista for their kind and compassionate care.

She is preceded in death by her beloved husband of 70 years, Robert, and her brother, Gordon Sharp of Carlsbad, California. She is survived by her sons and their wives; Robert & Marcia Dunham of Prescott, Arizona and David & Phyllis Dunham of Medina, Ohio. she is also survived by her granddaughters and their husbands: Amy & Thomas Geissler and Tracey & Ronald Sands all of Prescott, Arizona; her grandsons Gordon and Kyle Dunham of Medina, Ohio; and her much-loved great-grandchildren: Kaitlyn, Daniel, Tyler and Heather. Her sister-in-law, Patricia Sharp of Carlsbad, California, as well as several nieces and nephews also survive her. Memorial Services will be held on Friday August 4, 2017 at 1 p.m. at the Prescott United Methodist Church, 505 W. Gurley St., Prescott. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Church. Arrangements entrusted to Ruffner-Wakelin Funeral Homes and Crematory. Please visit www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign the online guest book and share a memory with the family.

Information provided by survivors


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