James Wayne Dunham

James “Wayne” Dunham was born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma February 4, 1936 to Travis Edgar Dunham and Mary Louise “Mame” McKenzie Dunham. When Wayne was three, the family moved to Sonoma, California.

Wayne worked for the Sonoma Police Department for eight years, after which he went to work for the Sonoma County Sheriff’s office for 20 years. Wayne spent several years as a resident deputy on the coast before transferring to the Sheriff Coroner’s office. He retired March 1988 as Chief Deputy Coroner. In April of 1988 Wayne and his wife, Deborrah moved to Susanville, California and in 1994 moved to Grants Pass, Oregon.

He was preceded in death by his father, mother, brothers, Garnett Earl Dunham and Robert Dunham and son Larry Dean Dunham.

Wayne is survived by his wife Deborrah Sullivan Dunham, married January 14, 1984; brother Patrick Dunham of Sonoma, California; sons Ricky Everett Dunham of Glen Ellen, California, Jerry Wayne Dunham of Redding, California; daughters Christine Mendes of Roseville, California, Micheaux Hall of Carlsbad, California and stepson Todd Leigh Miller of Carson City, Nevada; 14 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be 1:00 p.m., Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Hull & Hull Funeral Directors.

Private interment will be at Hawthorne Memorial Gardens.