Dwight Adrian Mundell JR.

Dwight Adrian Mundell Jr. was born November 14, 1943 in Ashland, Kansas to Dwight and Thelma Mundell.  D.A, a 76 year-old resident of Ditch Valley, passed away Tuesday, February 25^th in his home at the family farm.

D.A. graduated from Laverne High School in 1962 and then attended the University of Oklahoma and obtained a B.S. in Geology in 1968. During his time in Norman he met Diana (Dee Dee) Becker of Altus, Oklahoma, and they were married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church on the University of Oklahoma’s campus on October 26, 1968.  Immediately following their wedding, D.A. was deployed by the Navy.  He served as an officer on the USS Oklahoma City which was the Flagship for the 7^th Fleet with a home port of Yokosuka, Japan from 1968 to 1970.  In 1969 Dee Dee joined him in Japan.

In July of 1970, D.A. was discharged from the Navy and they returned to Ditch Valley where he began farming with his father.  After settling on the farm, the first of two children, Dana Lynn, was welcomed to their family and a few years later Darren Adrian was born. D.A. proudly spent his career as a wheat and alfalfa farmer.  While he was a hard-working and respected farmer his love and passion were his wife and two children.  He found so much joy attending Dana and Darren’s many activities from 4-H to athletic events. D.A. farmed the land in Ditch Valley until he retired in 2013.  His new career was being Papa to four busy grandchildren.  You could find him in the bleachers and on the sidelines cheering on his grandchildren in their numerous sporting events from Northwest Kansas to Southeast Oklahoma.

When D.A. was not farming, he enjoyed reading and hunting.  He was an avid OU football fan and loved traveling and especially finding an excuse to get back to the ocean.  To his friends, D.A. will always be remembered by his calm demeanor and infectious smile. To his family he will always be their hero – an ordinary man with extraordinary perseverance in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

D.A. was preceded in death by his parents Dwight and Thelma Mundell, sister Marvel Fuson, as well as his in-laws Forest and Bertha Becker.  He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 51 years Dee Dee; two children Dana Rich of Spearville, Darren and wife Tara Mundell of Tulsa and four grandchildren; Caleb and Carson Rich and Elizabeth and Jack Mundell; brother-in-law, Jack Becker of Texas; sisters-in-laws, Mary and husband Dave Mahan of Colorado and Susie and husband Glenn Howe of British Columbia; several cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.

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