Dale James Dumas' Obituary
Dale James Dumas, 67, passed away on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at the VA Hospital in La Jolla, California. He was born on December 6, 1954, in Willimantic, Connecticut to Robert J.B. Dumas and Barbara Mitchell Dumas.
Dale graduated from Windham High in CT, Class of ’72 and joined the US Navy the following year, eventually becoming a Hospital Corpsman. He separated from the Navy in 1977 and pursued a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Connecticut State University while working at Windham Hospital.
Dale missed the sea and comradery, he re-entered the Navy in 1983, did a few tours and in 1988, met all the requirements for a specialized program in San Diego, CA - Independent Duty Corpsman (IDC) School.
Now known as “Doc,” Dale served on the following ships:
USS Underwood (FFG-36), USS Missouri (BB-63) and his last assignment, the USS Reuben James (FFG-57). A Vietnam and Gulf War veteran, Dale’s sea duty also included: Yokosuka, Japan; Okinawa, stations in Mayport/Jacksonville, FL and Long Beach, CA.
Dale separated from the Navy a second time in 1991, and as an IDC in the Navy, he was able to take and pass the RN exam without any additional schooling. This took his nursing career to Detention/Correctional and Mental Health Facilities in San Diego and Santa Ana, CA.
Dale’s passion was anything and everything “baseball” - playing it, watching it (especially the Yankees) and all movies with a baseball theme. He played sports in school, was on community leagues in CT and played on several softball leagues while in the Navy. Dale was also an avid fan of UCONN basketball.
Dale is preceded in death by his father Robert J.B. Dumas and his mother Barbara Mitchell Dumas. He is survived by his daughter Erin Vega (Pete) of Dudley, MA; his son Anthony Dumas of San Diego, CA, his sister Debi Chapman (Marv) of Rutherfordton, NC; and his brothers: Ted, Jerry (Carol), Chris and Mark of CT, Greg (Lourdes) of Chula Vista, CA; several aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, grandnieces/grandnephews, cousins, shipmates, and co-workers he met along the way.
Interment will be held on Friday, July 15th at 10:30 a.m. at Miramar National Cemetery.
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