Theodorus Johannes Antonius Maria Dunselman, 79, of Santa Barbara died at his home surrounded by family and friends on Jan. 10, 2015.
He was born in Didam, Gelderland, Holland, on Oct. 5, 1935. He was the eighth of 17 children born to Dr. J.A.M. Dunselman and Anna Catherina Hafkenscheid Dunselman. He spent his childhood in Nijmegen (Gld.), where he attended elementary school. From 1949 to 1951 he attended Mulo, the equivalent of American high school.
Upon completing these studies, Theo worked on a family farm in France with three older brothers. In 1952, he returned to Holland and attended agricultural school and worked on farms in Holland and France intermittently until 1956.
In 1956, Theo immigrated to the United States with his older brother, Peter, through a sponsorship from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. After working on the farm through a bitter winter, the two brothers drove to California at the invitation of family friends.
Theo worked at Jostens’ Jewelers in Santa Barbara for a year and then enlisted in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960. Upon returning to Santa Barbara, he resumed his work at Jostens’ for a year and then transferred to Applied Magnetics Corporation, where he worked for 40 years as a skilled machinist and tool maker.
In Santa Barbara, he met Patricia Moran, and after a two-year courtship they were married at the Santa Barbara Mission in 1964.
Theo is survived by his wife, Patricia; son Theodorus Dunselman and daughter Annette Dunselman, both of Santa Barbara; daughter Veronica Dunselman Ruiz and son-in-law Alejandro Ruiz of Long Beach; four grandchildren, Tyler Dunselman, Anastasia Sagawinia and Matthew Moore of Santa Barbara, and Nathaniel Ruiz of Long Beach; eight siblings; and numerous nieces and nephews in Holland.
Beside his dedication and involvement with family, Theo loved boating, water skiing, camping and gardening. He also enjoyed exploring the world through travel in Western Europe, across the United States and into Mexico, taking his family on these adventures.
A Rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15 at St. Raphael’s Church. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 16. Graveside services will follow immediately at Calvary Cemetery. A luncheon will take place at home, 5088 Amberly Place in Santa Barbara, following the graveside ceremony.
Arrangements entrusted to Pueblo del Rey Funeral Services.