R.B. Dawson, Jr. (Tulia)

Tulia, Texas— R. B. Dawson, Jr., 88, died Saturday, December 25, 2010 at the place where he was born on February 15, 1922, Tulia, Texas. R.B. never had a first name, initials only. But he had a good, long, and productive life in the midst of the finest people in the world, his friends and neighbors of Swisher County. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday, December 29, 2010 at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Charles Davenport officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery under the care of Kornerstone Funeral Directors of Tulia. R.B. graduated from Tulia High School in 1938, from Texas Tech in 1942, did graduate work at Texas A&M until becoming a Lieutenant (JG) on a Navy Subchaser in the South Pacific in 1943. He was honorably discharged shortly after V.J. Day in August 1945. On January 20, 1946 he married Marjorie Musick. They had two children, Carol Ann and Bill. R.B. is survived by his wife of 64 years Marjorie, daughter, Carol Wallander and her husband Ray of Colorado Springs, son, Bill Dawson and his wife Pat Ann of Dallas, brother, Ed Dawson and his wife Norma of Lubbock, sister, Gladys Crouse of Sun City,Texas, 5 grandchildren: Will Dawson of London, England, Deanne Sammond of Boulder, Colorado, Drew Dawson of Wilmington, Delaware, Steven Wallander of Arlington Virginia, and Jeff Dawson of Silver Spring, Maryland, their spouses, 9 great grandchildren, and more Dawson kin and Musick in-laws than you can shake a stick at. R.B. was Tulia Man of the Year in 1984, a deacon in the First Baptist Church, a director of Wayland Baptist University, a Master Mason for more than 60 years, and an active member in numerous charitable and civic organizations, including the Kiwanis Club, the Salvation Army, the Soil and Water Conversation District, and the Rose Hill Cemetery Association. R.B.’s parents, R.B., Sr. and Gussie Dawson lived 8miles east of Tulia in the Elkins Community. They raised their 3 children there. R.B. did everything in Tulia from teaching vocational agriculture at Tulia High School to developing residential lots. He was a long-time officer and director of the First National Bank (now the Tulia branch of Wells Fargo) and the First National Bank of Kress. He was a founding director of Tulia Savings and Loan and past-President of the Panhandle Bankers Association. He was a banker to many, but he was a friend to all. First and foremost, however, he was a farmer. R.B. had a big, soft heart. He was a kind, humble, and gentle man. He cared deeply about his friends and customers and shared their suffering and setbacks as if they were his own. He was a devoted husband and a loving father. He will be sorely missed. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Swisher Memorial Hospital Foundation, 539 SE 2nd St., Tulia, TX 79088 or www.swisherhospital.com.