Willie Claude Dawson

Willie Claude Dawson was born Dec 6, 1914, in Roberta, GA. He was the youngest child of Freeman and Elvira Dawson. When Willie was 13, the family moved to St. Louis and joined Lane Tabernacle CME Church. Willie was active in the Boy Scouts and served on the junior usher board. He attended grade school and Sumner High School in St. Louis.

In 1942, Willie entered  the army. He served with the 92 ^nd Infantry Division and fulfilled overseas duty in Italy for 17 months as a Buffalo Solider.

Also in 1942, Willie met Doris Jones, a student from Tulsa, OK, who was attending Homer G. Phillips School of Nursing. They married in 1944.

Willie was honorably discharged from the army in 1945. In 1947 he became a government employee and remained with the Civil Service Commission for 35 years, until his retirement in 1982.

When Willie returned to St. Louis, he also returned to Lane Tabernacle where he was a faithful member and dutifully served in many capacities for more than 80 years.

He was a member of the Steward Board for 52 years, and treasurer for 43 of those years. He served as an usher many years before he began singing in the choir – or should I say choirs. At one time he was a member of the Tabernacle Choir, the Gospel Chorus, and the Male Chorus. Before his mobility prevented him from regular church attendance, he was a member of the Male Chorus for 24 years and president for 20 of those years. He was surprised and felt truly blessed when the members of the Male Chorus honored him by renaming the group the “Willie C. Dawson” Male Chorus.

In addition to his work in the church, Willie has always been active in the community. He served for many years on the board of SLACO (St Louis Association of Community Organizations) where he was appointed to the building committee at Rankin Trade School to help build neighborhood houses. When he was 85, he was still delivering Meals on Wheels to recipients who were often much younger than him.

On the home front, Willie and Doris were avid gardeners. Each summer they received numerous compliments from neighbors on their beautiful flower garden. And in winter, those same neighbors oooed and aaahed over his elaborate Christmas decorations.

Willie and Doris were happily married for 61 years. Together they raised three children.

Willie led a full and blessed life. One month prior to his passing he celebrated this 108 ^th birthday. His accomplishments were acknowledged on KSDK’s Kay Quinn’s Moment of the Day . the KSDK website and on Smucker’s Jar – a segment of the Today Show that features centenarians.

Willie was preceded in death by his wife, Doris and their son, Frederic. He leaves to cherish his memory two devoted daughters Marsha (Bobbie) Guy and Carmen Dawson McKell; granddaughter Shawn Guy (Mansfield, TX);grandson Brandon Guy; great-grandson Jackson Pitts (Mansfield, TX); favorite niece Shirley Dawson Simon; a warm and caring church family who loved Mr. Dawson (also known around the church house as Mr. D., Papa D., Papa Dawson, Awesome Dawson, and Dapper Dan), and many nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and neighbors.