John Dale Dunivan

John “Dale” Dunivan, 86, Perry, died March 4, 2024, at Stillwater Medical Center, Stillwater, Oklahoma. Dale was born August 10, 1937, to John Douglas and Gertrude (Speer) Dunivan, on the family farm, homesteaded by his grandfather, Lawrence Speer, near Morrison, Oklahoma.

A Celebration of Life viewing will be held from noon until 5 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Dighton-Marler Funeral Home Chapel, Perry, who has been entrusted with arrangements. Family will be available for visitation from 2 to 4 p.m. A private family burial will be held later at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, near Sumner, Oklahoma.

After graduating from Sumner High School in 1955, he attended Oklahoma State University, completing a BS degree in Agricultural Education in May 1959. In addition to farming, Dale taught school at Orlando (1959-1962) and Morrison (1962-63.) He returned to OSU and completed a Master’s Degree in Science (1963-64).

Following his retirement from Missouri in 1991, Dale returned to Oklahoma with farming interests in the Stillwater area and the home farm near Morrison. Beginning in 1992, he had the opportunity to participate in overseas agricultural development programs, working with different international organizations. These assignments continued through 2013, with more than 50 short term consulting trips, as well as managing long term humanitarian and development projects in Bosnia, Tajikistan and East Timor. During his overseas experience he worked in 18 different countries throughout Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Throughout his life, Dale had special interests in farming, raising cattle and riding horses. He enjoyed trail riding with friends and family, especially taking the grandchildren for a ride. One of his favorite horses was a wild Mustang he adopted from the government BLM program.

Dale married Delores June Overholt in Stillwater in 1957, and they have four children: Jan, John, Dee Ann and Dennis. They were divorced in 1997. Dale married Rakhima Dzhuraeva, from Dushanbe, Tajikistan in 2008. Rakhima has two children: Nigina and Sherzod.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents, John and Gertrude Dunivan; one brother, Everett; and a sister, Mary Ellen Coldiron.

Family has always been very important to Dale. He is survived by his wife Rakhima, of the home; six children: Jan Torres, John Dunivan, Dee Ann Beeby, Dennis Dunivan, Nigina Shodieva and Sherzod Musaev; eleven grandchildren: T. J. Dunivan, Cara Sanders, Seth Dunivan, Isaac Torres, Bradley Torres, Jack Dunivan , Sam Dunivan, Cole Dunivan, Daler Boev, Dilnoza Boev, David Musaev and Dominik Musaev; and seven great grandchildren: McKenna Sanders, Jaxon Sanders, Kinsley Sammons, Kyler Sammons, Connor Dunivan, Caden Dunivan and Claire Dunivan.