Robert Ray Dawson

MORTON - Robert Ray Dawson, 74, of Morton, Ill., passed away on Monday, April 28, 2014, at UnityPoint Health-Methodist in Peoria. Robert was born on Jan. 9, 1940, in Peoria to Donald and Lela (Clinebell) Dawson. He married Carolyn Clayton on Jan. 16, 1959. Robert knew he had found the love of his life, and he and Carolyn dated for five months before getting married, and recently celebrated 55 years of marriage. She survives.Also surviving are one daughter, Susan Lynn Dawson, and her partner, Michelle Wilder, of Godfrey, Ill.; two sons, Jeffrey Robert Dawson of Boulder, Colo., and Steven Bradley Dawson of Alton, Ill.; two grandchildren, Gregory Clayton Jackson and Katherine Ruth Jackson; one sister, Donna Lou (Jim) Headley of East Peoria; three brothers-in-law, Paul Rosenak of Valrico, Fla., Michael Thomison of Peoria, Ill., and Robert (Alice) Clayton of Alton, Ill.; sister-in-law, Phyllis (Frank) Roggio of Alton, Ill.; and also many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Elinor Rosenak and Joyce Ann Thomison.Robert and Carolyn spent most of their life living in Alton, Ill., and moved to Peoria in 2006. He worked for Amoco Petroleum Company in Wood River, Ill., where he began his career as an operator and, shortly after starting, was promoted to Laboratory Technician. He retired from there in 1990. He and Carolyn also owned and Operated Dawson's Floral in Godfrey, Ill. Once he retired, he worked for Cat as a security guard. Robert enjoyed fishing, spending time outdoors and grooming his yard. He enjoyed his yearly trips to Minnesota. He loved genealogy and following his families' origins and roots, and through that he became a huge Civil War buff and was proud of his great-grandfather, who fought in two major battles in the war.Services for Robert will be held at Davison-Fulton Woodland Chapel on Saturday, May 3, at 3 p.m. Pastor Douglas Lightly will officiate. Visitation will be held two hours prior to the service. Burial will follow in Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria at a later date. Memorial donations in honor of Robert may be made to the American Stroke Foundation or The Heart Foundation.