‘Father’ of CareFlight Air Ambulance passes

Allistair Dunn, age 93, passed away peacefully January 22, 2015. Preceded in death by daughter Susan, Al is survived by Marilyn, his childhood sweetheart and wife of 70 years, son Jim (Carol), daughters Judi (Doug) Myers and Carolynn (Jim) Hellman; grandchildren Meryn (Josh Bachand), Alison and Ian Dunn; Matthew (KC) and Sarah Myers; and step-grandson Jason (Angie) Hellman; great-grandchildren Kathryn Bachand, Cooper Myers and step-great grandchildren Kaleigh, Nicholas, Nathan, Chase and Lillian Hellman.

Born in Wishaw Scotland, Al emigrated to America in 1926 at age 5 with his parents and brother. A graduate of the Henry Ford Trade School, Al worked for Ford Motor Company prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corp at the start of WWII. Serving in the Burma-China-India theater Al flew 128 combat missions and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice and a Presidential Citation. Al was co-founder of the Dayton area Distinguished Flying Cross Society.

Al had a distinguished career as a corporate executive, served nine years on the Board of Directors at Miami Valley Hospital and served on the Board of the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation. While serving as Chairman of the Finance Committee at MVH, Al was the driving force behind the CareFlight Air Ambulance program. After reading a report detailing significantly improved survival rates when patients received emergency treatment within 60 minutes, Al reflected that many of MVH emergency patients were from out-lying farm areas and strongly believed that if Dayton had a medi-vac program, similar to the military, more patients could be saved. He worked and campaigned for three years to get the CareFlight program launched.

Al was a mason, a member of DeMolay, belonged to the Dayton Rotary and was Director Emeritus of the Antioch Shrine Mounted Patrol.

Interment at David’s Cemetery Mausoleum Tuesday, January 27 at 11:00am. A celebration of Al’s life will be held in the Chapel of Miami Valley Hospital’s main campus at 4:00pm.

In lieu of flowers the family respectfully requests donations be made in Al’s name to the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation.