Robert Ray Dunlap

Long time Bowie resident Robert (Bob) Dunlap died at age 86 on Sunday, December 4, 2016. A native of the State of Louisiana, Bob was a Korean War Veteran serving with the U.S. Airforce during the years 1948-52. In 1952 he converted to civilian federal service with the Armed Forces Security Agency, predecessor of  the National Security Agency from which he retired in 1986 at the senior management level. During his career with the NSA, Mr. Dunlap's credentials and accomplishments in the unique operations and joint use of systems/techniques employed in the Department of Defense secure communications mission were highly recognized and awarded. He managed, directed and assisted in the design, development and implementation of two worldwide secure telecommunications enhancement programs and played a key role in the planning and implementation of numerous other large-scale communications upgrades. He served three years as the Agency's representative to the Department of Defense Multiplex Communications Management Group and another three years as chief of a large overseas communications facility. Mr. Dunlap was presented the Agency's Meritorious Civilian Award at time of retirement. After his retirement from NSA Mr. Dunlap continued to lend his knowledge and skills to government communications contracts in consulting positions with the Ford Aerospace Corporation and the Computer Sciences Corporation. He was involved in the early on planning and cost auditing of communications for the NASA Space Station Freedom Project. He retired for the second and final time in 1997 and resumed his long time interests in golf play, gardening and travel. Mr. Dunlap was among the original Levitt Homes settlers having moved to Bowie in mid 1963. Bob was active in the formative years of the Bowie youth programs as coach, officiating and various representative positions with Scouting Groups. He was an active member of Bowie's Grace Baptist Church since 1972 where he continued to work in a leader's capacity with the Church's youth AWANA Program. Bob always considered his participation in this Godly inspired program to be his most rich and rewarding accomplishment. Mr.  Dunlap is survived by his wife of 64 years, Patricia (Pat) Dunlap; two daughters: Saundra Lynn Yates-Tolley of Laurel, Maryland and Sheree Annette Dunlap of Northeast, Maryland; two sons: Robert Kevin Dunlap of Bowie, Maryland and John Erick Dunlap and his wife Christy of Glen Burnie, Maryland; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; pre-deceased by one sister: Inez Becker of Walkerton, Indiana. Family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 from 11:30am to 1:00pm at the family-owned BEALL FUNERAL HOME, 6512 NW Crain Hwy. (Rte. 3 South), Bowie, MD followed by a funeral service at 1pm.  Interment, Maryland Veterans Cemetery, Crownsville, MD.