The Dunn family also worked at Robber’s Cave and Beaver’s Bend State parks during the summer renting kayaks on the lake. It was here that Jim met a very beautiful camp counselor in the summer of 1977 and asked her to dinner that evening with the money he had made renting boats to her campers. Her name was Charlene Faircloth, and they married in Poteau on May 20, 1978. They lived in Poteau for several years and moved to Tahlequah in 1981 when Jim enrolled at Northeastern College of Optometry (after realizing that wildlife biologists typically don’t make much money). When nearing graduation from optometry school, he and Charlene took a road trip down the east coast looking for a cute small town to become their future home. They landed in Manning, South Carolina, where an optometrist happened to be retiring. Over the next 15 years they built a very successful optometry practice and enjoyed traveling, particularly to the beach and the mountains of North Carolina, eating seafood, making numerous lifelong friends, and being active members of First Baptist Church. In 1992, their only daughter, Caroline, was born. When she was 7 they decided to move the family back home. They returned to Tahlequah for 3 years, during which Jim taught at the optometry college at Northeastern, but ultimately returned to his hometown in Poteau in 2003 where he opened a private practice optometry clinic. He proudly served his fellow Potonians (Monday through Thursday, Fridays were for riding his motorcycle) until his retirement in 2022.
Jim had many hobbies including travels, fishing and hiking, and motorcycles, but his main love was music. He had played the drums for the Mourning After, but later in life also dabbled in guitar, keyboards, and vocals. One of his first missions after moving back to Poteau was reuniting his band, with 3 original members and several new friends. They practiced at he and Charlene’s house, much to her chagrin (similar to the stories of Dusty’s mom in the 60s!) but had a lot of fun and continued to play their high school reunions and various parties around town. He was also a lifelong member of First Christian Church, where he served as an elder and played in the church band, a member of Poteau Rotary Club for many years, and a member of the Poteau Masonic Lodge.
After a peaceful retirement, Jim passed away at their home in Poteau on May 22, 2026. He and Charlene had been married for 48 years and 2 days. He is survived by his wife, Charlene, of the home, their daughter Caroline and her husband Alex Barrs of Ardmore, OK, his sister and brother-in-law Jackie and August Khilling, of Fort Smith AR, his sister Jana Randall of Fort Smith AR, sisters and brothers-in-law Janice and Larry Thornton of Randall, KS, Phyllis Salzwedel of Muskogee, OK, Kay and Mark Uhlich of Topeka KS, Doris and Arthur King of Tulsa OK, and a slew of beloved nieces and nephews (and several great-nephews, by whom he was affectionately called “uncle thumb head”). The family would also like to extend a special thank you to their friend, Jack Scott, for his love and support through Jim’s illness.
Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Gene and Joan Dunn, his nephew Jay Shadwick, his brother-in- law Brad Randall, and his brother-in-law Donald Salzwedel.
A memorial service will be held at 11am – Saturday, May 30, 2026, at First Christian Church in Poteau, Oklahoma with Pastor Dennis Jones officiating. Charlene and Caroline would like to invite all friends and family to a reception at their home to follow the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Christian Church music ministry or to the Poteau High School marching band.
Online condolences can be made at www.holtfuneralandcremation.com
“Through Love, Serve One Another”
The Family of James “Jim” Dunn has entrusted his arrangements to Holt Funeral and Cremation, 522 Dewey Ave Poteau, OK 74953, (918) 721-0026. Poteau’s Only 100% Locally Owned and Family Operated Funeral Home – Our Family, Loving Your Family Through
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