In Memoriam: Richard Dunham III

	Richard Dunham III

The well-known lighting educator Richard Dunham III died on August 12, following a short illness. A resident of Dublin, Virginia, he died where he was born, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Dunham was a professor of theatrical lighting design for 39 years and officially retired this month as chair of the theatre department at Radford University. A Fellow of USITT, his work included lighting and scenic designs for regional and stock theatres, including Off- and Off-Off-Broadway. His textbook, Stage Lighting: The Fundamentals, is soon to be published in its third edition.

Born to Rev. Richard E., Jr and Lois Oliver Dunham, he grew up tinkering with electronics and building model trains and planes. He earned his BS in geophysical engineering from Millersville State College of Pennsylvania in 1979. Deciding that theatre made a better career than geology, he earned his MFA in theatre design in 1987 from Ohio State University, where he met his wife of almost 36 years, Joelle Re Arp-Dunham.

Besides his wife, Dunham is survived by their two children, Richard Ernest IV and Chelsea Aloma; her husband, Capt. Robert Cogan; and their son, Jamie. Also surviving are his sister, Diane Overly (Joe Overly); brother, Capt. Bruce Dunham (Shelia Young); mother-in-law, Aloma Arp; sisters-in-law, Jaye Arp, Jennifer Arp (Brian Bazzie), and Kathy M. Kinder (Paul Bodde). Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

An enthusiastic volunteer within his local church and community. Dunham underwent a double lung transplant in 2024, which allowed him an extra two years.

A statement from Radford University says, "A passionate educator and mentor, Richard devoted tremendous time and energy to preparing the next generation of lighting designers. His exceptional contributions to the field were recognized when he was named a Fellow of USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology), the organization's highest honor.

"Radford University and the Department of Theatre extend our deepest condolences to Rich's family, friends, colleagues, and former students. We are grateful for his many years of dedicated service, and for the lasting impact he made on our department, our students, and the theatre community."

To honor Dunham's generosity and passion for the arts, his family is starting a scholarship at Radford University to assist a deserving theatrical design student.