By Nicole Hamilton
The Cincinnati Enquirer

David J. Dungan Jr., former owner of Eastern Hills Camera Company, made sure his customers enjoyed their cameras.

"His customers would call the house in the middle of the night for help with their cameras," said his daughter, Chris McIver of Loveland. Her father even made house calls. "If someone was having a party and they couldn't get the camera to work, he'd go over help them."

Mr. Dungan died Nov. 17 of cancer at his Indian Hill home. He was 71.

Mr. Dungan began working for Eastern Hills Camera Company in Madisonville at the age of 15, in 1945. He worked there while he attended Withrow High School. He also attended business classes at Chase College for two years after high school.

In 1974, Mr. Dungan purchased the camera shop in Madisonville, and its other location in Kenwood. He owned and operated the two stores until his retirement in 2000.

Many prominent Cincinnatians bought cameras from Mr. Dungan, among them former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason, who purchased 10 cameras for his offensive line in 1989.

Recently, Garth Brooks gave Mr. Dungan an autographed guitar he played in a concert on the U.S.S. Enterprise, after he learned Mr. Dungan had cancer. Mr. Dungan's son works for Mr. Brooks.

"He was the most kind and gentle person. He was always putting everyone else's needs before his own," said Ms. McIver.

Mr. Dungan was a longtime member of the Madisonville Businessmen's Association, and, for the past 12 years, he ate lunch every day with the same group of men at the Village Kitchen in Madisonville.

He also held season tickets to the Cincinnati Pops for more than 30 years.

Besides his daughter, survivors include his father, David J. Dungan of Madeira; his wife, Marya Dungan; two sons, Scott of Madeira and Michael of Nashville, Tenn.; a stepdaughter, Leslie Cockburn of Vermont; a stepson, Douglas Mullins of Switzerland; a sister, Patricia Follmer of Mason; and eight grandchildren.

Services have been held. His body was cremated. Memorials: Hospice of Cincinnati, Box 710784, Cincinnati, 45271-0784.