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In Memoriam

Class of 1967 (Orthodontics)

DR. JOHN C. DUMARS, ORTHODONTICS CLASS OF 1967

Dr. John DumarsDr. John Dumars passed away peacefully on Nov. 14, 2019 after suffering a fall in Napa, Calif. He was surrounded by his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends at Queen of the Valley Hospital. He was 81.

He was born on June 17, 1938 in Woodland, Calif. to John Courtney and Clarabelle Amelia Dumars. At age 7, he and his family moved to Ord Bend, Calif., and subsequently to Chico, Calif., where he graduated from high school in 1956. He attended the University of California at Berkeley as an undergraduate and matriculated at Loyola School of Dentistry, where he graduated as valedictorian in 1963. He served in the Navy as a dentist assigned to the Marine Corps Camp Pendleton. After his service, he fulfilled his lifelong career aspiration in orthodontics.

He married the love of his life, Patricia Marie Jenkins, of Chico, in 1957. After completing his schooling in 1967, they moved to Napa, Calif., where had his orthodontic practice for 40 years, retiring in 2008. He volunteered as a clinical professor at the University of California at San Francisco, where he taught and mentored residents. He was a proud inductee of the Edward H. Angle Society and Peninsula Orthodontic Research Group, served a term as president of the Napa Solano Dental Society, and was an editor of the Journal of Orthodontics. He belonged to numerous professional, fraternal, and service organizations, including the Elks Club and Napa Rotary. He served as president of the Justin-Siena Foundation and counted numerous friends in the Table 31, Dental Winetasters, and Napa Valley Winetasters.

Dr. Dumars loved fishing, especially saltwater fishing. He made annual trips to the east cape of Baja and also fished in Alaska and Central and South America. The Dumars traveled extensively, visiting Europe, New Zealand, Australia, and Asia. He was a lifelong fan of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers. He lived life to its fullest, enjoying family, friends, and career.

Dr. Dumars is survived by his wife, Patricia; children Mark of Napa, Susan (Hollis Huvar) of Dixon, Calif., Michael (Kimberly) of Modesto, Calif., and Ken of Napa; grandchildren Michael Courtney, Adele Marie, Renee Elizabeth, Justin Joseph, and Margaret Grace; and multiple nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Linda (Arthur) Smithson. (Napa Valley Register)