John E. Dutra

John E. Dutra III, 86, of Bedford NH, died April 17, 2011 after a lengthy illness. The son of John E. and Marie (Nunes) Dutra, he was born in Niles, CA on July 27, 1924.

John entered the US Navy on October 26, 1942, was selected for the V12 Officers Training program, and was commissioned on March 6, 1945. His service in the Navy included World War II, Korea and Vietnam. While stationed in Florida, California, Hawaii, Japan, and New York, he was assigned to 8 different ships, commanding 5 of them: the USS Osprey, USS Bunting, USS George A. Johnson, USS Durant and the USS Epping Forest. In addition, as captain of the USS Durant, he was the youngest skipper of a destroyer in the Navy. His shore duty included serving as the Aide to the Admiral at the US Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, CA, serving on the staffs of Pacific Fleet Headquarters (CINCPAC) in Honolulu HI and MSTS Atlantic in Brooklyn NY. After 27 years of service he retired from the Navy in 1969 with the rank of Commander, followed by a second career as a Hospital and School Administrator.

He earned his bachelor's degree from The University of the State of New York.

John will be remembered as a devoted father and husband with a gentle soul who will be missed greatly by all who knew him. His wife of 53 years, Nathalie (Graven) Dutra, predeceased him in 2005.

Family members include his children John E. Dutra IV of Bedford NH, Michelle A. Dutra of Houston TX, and Daniel E. Dutra and daughter-in-law Kathryn Dutra of Londonderry NH; grandchildren Adam Carmony, Kimberly Wilson, and Thomas and Jennifer Dutra; and great-grandson Beaudin Wilson.

There are no calling hours. Funeral services will be held in California at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NH Alzheimer's Association, 20 Ferry St., Concord, NH 03301.