Coet Allen “Cody” Dunaway, 93, of Laramie, Wyo., died Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Born Nov. 13, 1932, in Bath County, in a farmhouse near Sharpsburg, he was the third of five children of Omer Hord Dunaway and Lillian Manley Dunaway. Affable and soft spoken throughout his life, he grew up on a farm, and played basketball at Sharpsburg High School. After he graduated in 1951, he served in the Army at both Fort Knox and Fort Hood, where he trained as a tank operator and earned the rank of Corporal. For several years he lived with his sister, Betty and her family, first in Lexington, where he worked in automotive repair, then in Denver, Colo., where he worked in a distribution center. He became a resident of the Denver area and contentedly lived in his own place. He retired from the same distribution company he had worked at for over 30 years, before moving to Laramie to be near family. He was an avid sports fan. Going over to his place would mean sitting with him and watching a basketball or baseball game. He knew the standing of all the University of Kentucky sports teams and the Cincinnati Reds; something he and his family had followed his entire life. Active in his retirement, he walked the trails around his home every day into his 80s. He always found delight in the presence of small children and loved visiting with his many grand-nieces and nephews.
Known as Uncle Cody to his family, he will be missed by his nieces, Betty S. Wills and Rebecca Aubrey Wills of Laramie, Wyo.; his many nieces and nephews in Kentucky, John Raymond Arnold (Debbie), Barbara Susan Arnold, Floyd Allen Arnold (Lisa) and Thomas Barry Arnold (Sabrina), all of Montgomery County, Robert Dunaway (Suzie) of Barbourville, Nancy Alice Dunaway of Lexington and Debbie Baber (Johnny) of Bath County; and several great-nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a brother, John Lindsey Dunaway of Sharpsburg; and a sister, Betty Lou Wills of Laramie, Wyo.
He was preceded in death by an older sister, Dorothy Dobson Arnold; and a younger brother, Adrian Dunaway.
Celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Grace Gospel Church in Sharpsburg with Johnny Baber and Tom Arnold speaking. Everyone is invited, come and share a memory. He will be laid to rest in the Crown Hill Cemetery in Sharpsburg.
