Charles Howard Dunlap

Charles Howard Dunlap of Trumansburg passed away at home on August 28, 2025 at the age of 101. He passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of quiet talent, steadfast faith, and cherished memories with loved ones.

Born August 2, 1924, Chuck was the 2nd of four children of Homer and Mildred Dunlap of Carbondale, PA. He graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in 1942 and enlisted in the Navy. After boot camp and fire control training in Newport, R.I., he was assigned fire controlman for one of the 40mm gun mounts on a new Fletcher-class destroyer, the U.S.S. Clarence Bronson, screening the fast carrier task force in the Pacific.

After the war, Chuck took advantage of the G.I. Bill and attended Penn State University, graduating from the Forestry School at Mont Alto, PA in 1950 with a degree in landscape architecture. It was while at Mont Alto that Chuck met the love of his life and bride of 70 years, Doris Freeman. He was employed by the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service in Maryland and Pennsylvania until 1956. He left to start his dream job in 1957 as a landscape architect in the beautiful Finger Lakes State Parks, headquartered, at that time, in downtown Ithaca, NY. At parks, Chuck was master planner, drew construction and building plans, planting plans, signing plans, park maps, and other park amenities. He did appraisals of land to be acquired for new parks, such as Sampson State Park and Lodi Point State Park, and additions to existing park lands. He supervised the planting of thousands of new trees, native shrubs, and plants throughout the Finger Lakes Parks region.

In 1958, Chuck was charged with finding a suitable location for a new regional park office and to start design sketches. He selected a site on the Taughannock Falls Park Road which was approved by the Commission and is where the present day Finger Lakes Regional Headquarters is now located. Construction started in the summer of 1960 and completed in the spring of 1961. He retired from the State Parks in 1990.

Chuck and his family ran a “pick your own” cherry orchard and self-service apple stand for many years. He was a man of deep roots and devotion—to his church, his family, and his beloved Penn State Nittany Lions football team. Saturdays in the fall were sacred, spent cheering on the Lions or his brother’s Colgate Red Raiders, a tradition he rarely missed. Equally treasured were his autumn hunting trips, where time spent in the woods with family and friends became the source of countless stories and lifelong bonds.

Though many knew him for his warm presence and loyal friendship, fewer realized Charles’s hidden gift as an oil painter. For years, he created breathtaking landscape paintings that captured the beauty of the natural world with a quiet mastery. His work remains a testament to the depth of his creativity and eye for detail.

Chuck is survived by two children, Fred (Susan) Dunlap of Waterloo, NY, and John (Christa) Dunlap of Trumansburg, NY; five grandchildren (Jonathan, Jeremy, Jason, Holly, and Josh); six great grandchildren (Jillian, Nate, Ameya, Lena, Jackson, and Gemma); daughter in law, Mary Dunlap; siblings, Fred Dunlap and Marion Baldauf; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Doris; son, Charles Dunlap Jr.; older brother, Robert Dunlap; sister-in-law, Cindy Dunlap, sister-in-law, Marilyn Dunlap, and brother-in-law, David Bauldauf.

A Graveside service with military honors will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, September 5, 2025 at New York State Veteran’s Cemetery – Finger Lakes, 6632 Route 96A, Romulus, New York.

The family asks those that would like to make a contribution in Charles’ memory to kindly consider the First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses, PO Box 597, Trumansburg, NY 14886 or donate to an animal shelter of your choice.