He served in the Air Force in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, where he served two tours of duty. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart and was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He moved to Canby in the early 1970s and owned and operated Dula's Nursery. In 1987, he married Mary J. Springer. Survivors include his wife; son, Jody; daughter, Michelle; stepdaughter, Lisa Taylor; stepson, Mike Stohr; mother, Fay Parr; stepmother, Evelyn Dula; sister, Faye Hobbs; and five grandchildren.31