Funeral service for Josh Dunaway will be 2 p.m., Wednesday, December 18th, at Riverwood Family. Visitation is from Noon until the time of service.
Joshua Wilson “Josh” Dunaway died December 14, 2024, at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, MS. Josh had a lifelong battle with CF, but it never held him back from his dreams and goals. He was born in Pike County Mississippi on April 18, 1981, to J.W. Dunaway and Sheryl Cash Dunaway. Josh worked for MDOT for 17 years until he retired in 2015. Josh married his high school sweetheart, Heather Dunaway.
After high school life took them on separate paths but after many years, at just the right time for them both, they rekindled their love and established their home. In life you are given one true love who is “your person” and that is exactly what they were and will always be.
He was a great and loving father to his children; he was their best friend, and they argued like friends do. In addition to being their friend he was a mighty protector, encourager, and supporter.
One of his favorite pastimes was riding the golf cart with his family and “granddogter”. He loved all things “Batman” and John Wayne. He enjoyed having “front porch confessions” and horseback riding every evening or fishing with family and friends. Josh had a very quick wit and outstanding sense of humor, full of useless information and skilled in a variety of ways, including, mechanic, the best tow truck driver and instructor, and auto parts salesman. He loved all his friends and family unconditionally and would help anyone at any time, he would give you the shirt from off his back if the need arose. He will be greatly missed by all who loved him.
Josh is preceded in death by his father; paternal grandparents, Jody and Mamie Dunaway; maternal grandmother, Frances Moak; nephew, Devin Estelle; brother-in-law, Clay Barrett; soul sister, Maela “MaeMae” Badon; and cousin, Wendell Alexander.
Survivors include his mother; his wife of seven years, Heather Dunaway; children, Bradley and Halee; brother, Timothy Dunaway; sister, Jeannie Dunaway; one “granddogter”, Ginger Ann Dunaway; Mother-in-law, Barbara Moulds; brother-in-law, Brian Lowery (Cheryl); sisters-in-law, Corenda Barrett and Sara Lowery; nieces and nephews, Dylan Dunaway (Julia), Hannah Dunaway (Leighton Creel), Isabella Parker (Nathan), Kayden Allen, Jody Dunaway, Destiny Jennings (Chris), Paxton, Alyssa Lowery (Dylan Davis), Noah, Isabella Holmes (Hunter), Madison Burnthorn (Tyler Digiovanni), Selah, Rian Lowery, Sierra Morgan, Connor, Cooper and Kyndall Barrett, Anthony Wells, EmaLeigh Privatte, and John Michael Joffrion.
He is also survived by special friends and family, Ken and Kristi Johnson, Tom and Rita McKnight, Mickey and Zayne Badon, Aaron Rushing, Dalton Duncan, Will Tolar, Doug Grammer, Toney Rushing “the Godfather”, Adrian Garcia, Cass Coon, Tolar Auto Parts Family, and the Rushing Wrecker Service Family.
The family would like to send grateful appreciation to Shannon Rives, CF-NP, and the CF team and UMMC.
