River life has always run deep in Destiny Dunn’s heart. She grew up in Pascagoula, a stone’s throw from the water, and her husband Jody’s family spent weekends at their riverbank home in Moss Point, Mississippi. It was there, on the shores of the Pascagoula River, that Destiny and Jody fell in love one magical summer. That July, out on the pier at sunset, gentle waves lapping over the pylons, he asked her to spend forever together. They were married the following November.
Their family quickly grew, and Destiny, Jody and their three daughters settled just over the state line, making their home on acreage in Wilmer, so that Jody could be close to Mobile for work. But river life remained a big part of their lives. The couple purchased a two-bedroom camp house, next to Jody’s family in Moss Point. They made the tiny fixer upper into their own charming getaway. Their girls grew up spending weekends and summer days fishing, boating, kayaking and playing outside with their visiting cousins. Nights at the river camp were just as much fun, laughter always echoing from the sisters’ cozy bunkroom.
Influenced by her grandmother’s love of cooking and her mom’s service to her family, Destiny was blessed with the gift of hospitality from an early age. As her family grew, she eagerly embraced any opportunity to welcome and feed friends and family. “We felt like we were called to be stewards of this special place so there was always a crowd over.” One of their favorite traditions was held every Fourth of July. The Dunns always hosted a big blowout with fireworks, tubing and festive layered red, white and blue drinks.
Before long, though, their oldest, Tully, was grown and left for college at Mississippi State. Then, she packed her bags and flew off to city life in Chicago. Back home, Destiny and Jody soon watched their younger daughters, Sophie and Lucy, graduate high school and move off to college, too. Empty nesting plans began.
They’d always known they wanted to retire on the water where they could host whenever possible. But it became obvious the Pascagoula River camp would be too small as their daughters married and started their own families. In April of 2023, Tully said “I do” to Steve Urbik, a Chicago-area native who, coincidentally, happened to have close friends in Pascagoula.
Destiny and Jody decided to condense their two homes into one larger one on the water, but it was also important that the drive was still convenient for Jody to continue working in Mobile. They’d been searching and praying for the perfect property for nearly five years when a friend who lived on Dog River contacted them about a family home on their current lot. As soon as it hit the market, they spent two weeks negotiating and dreaming of how they would make the place their forever home. After closing on the property, they spent six months drawing up plans for renovations. Unfortunately, upon further engineering inspections, they learned that the existing home was not structurally sound. It would cost more to get the house up to code than to build a new one.
Once they were over the initial shock, Destiny and Jody began to get excited about building their forever home from scratch. They hired residential designer Lucy Barr, Jody’s sister, to draw up the plans that would be practical for entertaining with enough room for the girls to spread out and have their own spaces upstairs. The Dunns chose builder Lynn Nolan to implement the design. In December 2023, the old house came down. New foundations were laid that January, and construction moved quickly.
Destiny scoured Pinterest boards and magazines to put together all the fixtures, finishes and design elements for her dream home. She wanted the place to feel classic, as though it had been there for generations, but with a Southern coastal flair. The pièce de résistance is the open-concept kitchen, dining and living room which offers plenty of spectacular views of Dog River and allows easy crowd overflow outdoors onto the covered porches.
Destiny beautifully married modern conveniences with antique-style details, such as mercury glass bell lantern fixtures, rough-hewn cypress beams, brass hardware, a copper-look sink and cremone bolts on the built-in china cabinet’s French doors. An Old Chicago brick backsplash adds another layer of texture and serves as a fun nod to Tully and Steve. The large central island offers plenty of storage and counterspace. On the living room side of it, a cozy upholstered banquette pairs perfectly with their existing antique dining room table and easily seats up to 12 guests.
One of Destiny’s favorite elements is the butler’s pantry, tucked away to the side of the kitchen. A warming drawer, microwave, separate sink, trash chute and a French rail for pots and pans make a convenient prep space for parties. At the opposite end of the common area, just off the foyer, Jody designed a separate wet bar, complete with additional refrigerators, a coffee station and ice maker. Together, these two spaces make hosting a breeze.
Just days before Christmas 2024, construction was completed, and the Dunns moved in. The younger girls drove home from college and Tully and Steve flew in from Chicago, just in time to decorate the 12-foot tree together and celebrate as a family on Dog River.
Then, in a surprising whirlwind, Steve accepted a job as a chief mate for a maritime company located on the Gulf Coast. By March 2025, the couple officially moved to Alabama and bought their own home near her parents. “It felt like it was time to get settled in somewhere. We didn’t see ourselves living in Chicago permanently and having to hop on a plane anytime I wanted to see my parents or sisters was no fun. Moving back to the coast seemed like the right choice,” says Tully.
This past year, Destiny has continued to put the finishing touches on what they’ve affectionately dubbed the Dunn Harbor House, while also hosting at least once a week, everything from family birthday dinners to Bible study groups and company cocktail parties. Just as it had been at the tiny Moss Point camp, Destiny has continued to use the new space to welcome others into their lives. And now, the tradition is being passed on to the next generation. Tully is back home and by her mama’s side to help entertain, too. “My mom really hit her hosting stride after I had already moved out so I am learning so much from her about how to plan and host parties and dinners. She is so good at it! I’m still learning how not to burn water.”
While Destiny is an excellent cook, she especially enjoys baking desserts. And, she adds, no party is complete without something sweet. Here, she shares three yummy crowd-pleasers, perfect for a backyard cookout, a fancy four-course dinner party — or even a quiet sunset for two out on the wharf.
The Dunn Family’s Favorite Dessert Recipes
Granny Dunn’s Chocolate Pie
SERVES 8
Directions
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 5-ounce can evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pre-made pie crust
whipped topping
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa powder. Vigorously whisk in the eggs, evaporated milk, butter and vanilla until completely combined and smooth.
2. Pour batter into the pie crust and bake for about 50 minutes, or until the filling sets and there is a thin crust on the top. The filling may be slightly jiggly in the center, but will continue to set as it cools.
3. Let cool completely before serving with whipped topping.
Toasted Almond Cake
SERVES 12
Ingredients
1 16-ounce tube almond paste
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup Triple Sec
3 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
sliced almonds, toasted
powdered sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the almond paste, butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed to medium-low, and slowly add the Triple Sec and eggs. Do not overmix.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder, then add to butter mixture and mix only until combined.
4. Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt or springform pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Cover the cake with foil to prevent overbrowning, and bake for another 30 – 35 minutes.
5. Allow cake to cool in the pan, then turn it out onto a platter. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and powdered sugar before serving.
Caramel Pecan Bars
Also known as Illini bars, these rich, gooey pick-ups were Destiny’s beloved grandmother’s specialty. Granny was known for making them for most every holiday.
MAKES 12
Ingredients
1 11-ounce bag of caramel bits
2/3 cup evaporated milk, divided
1 box German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 12-ounce bag chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-by-13 baking pan and set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, combine caramel bits and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk. Cook over low heat until melted. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, butter, remaining 1/3 cup evaporated milk and pecans. Mix well.
4. Press half of dough into prepared baking pan. Reserve remaining dough. Bake for 6 – 7 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crust. Spread caramel mixture on top of baked dough. Drop remaining dough in dollops all over the caramel sauce. Bake 15 – 18 minutes more, then cool completely and refrigerate. After at least an hour, cut into squares.
