William Ollie Dawson

YAKIMA - William O. Dawson of Yakima, Washington, was born December 5, 1920 to Ollie and Natalie (Ells) Dawson in Arlington, Washington. He passed away on April 16, 2012 at Crescent Health Care Center.

He married Eunice Edna Scott on November 2, 1940 in North Bend, WA. He joined the Army in July of 1940, and went in as a Private with on-the-job training as a radio and communications operator. In August of 1943 he shipped-out to Alaska and was stationed at the Aleutian Islands. For the next two years he worked in communications, earning the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was honorably discharged from the Army July 27, 1945.

He worked at the Everett, Washington airport in Communications until March of 1946 when he was transferred to Redmond, Oregon. They stayed in Redmond, Oregon until 1951 when they moved to Bryn Marr, WA, where he worked at Sea-Tac Airport in Traffic Control. They moved to Burien (south Seattle) in 1955 and lived there until 1968, at which time he was transferred to the Auburn Federal Air Traffic Control Center until 1970. In March of 1970 he was transferred to Oklahoma City, OK, where he taught Air Traffic Control for two years at the Federal Aviation Training Academy. In June of 1972, at the age of 52, he took early retirement and moved to Billings, Mont. There they bought their first RV and were the first to get involved in the M.U.C.H (Montana United Church Home later named MAPS, Mobilization and Placement Service). They traveled all over the western United States and Mexico helping to build or remodel church buildings, schools or parsonages. In January of 1997 Bill and Eunice moved to Yakima to live with their daughter and son-in-law.

Besides working in the MAPS program, dad loved to hunt, fish, and play golf every day - and sometimes twice a day.

He was preceded in death by his wife Eunice, and three daughters Barbara Louise Dawson, Diana Jean Motyka, and Lois Elaine Motyka.

He is survived by his six children: Delores Wollaston of Bethel Island, Calif.; Thomas Dawson of San Jose, Calif; Ruth Koffler of Yakima, WA; John Dawson of Laughlin, NV; Jim Dawson of Billings, MT; and Rose Dixon of Kennewick, WA. He also has 21 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Viewing will be held on Friday April 20th, 4-8 pm at Keith & Keith Funeral Home, 902 W Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA. Service will be held at Stone Church, 3303 Englewood Ave., Yakima, on Saturday, April 21, 2012, at 1:00 pm, with interment being held at West Hills Memorial Park following the service. To share a memory of William visit www.keithandkeith.com.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to the Union Gospel Mission, in memory of William Dawson, 1300 N. 1st St, Yakima, WA 98901. (509) 248-4510.