David Dawson

1946 - 2025

David Taylor Dawson, beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend died on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 in Stanardsville, Virginia after a long illness with dementia.

Born in Wadsworth, Ohio, to Lola Faye Dawson and Taylor Bishop Dawson, David grew up with brother Bruce in the First Church of the Nazarene, co-founded by his grandmother, Ina Roach. It was through the church that he met his wife, Martha. David spent his professional career involved in mental health counseling and healthcare, studying Sociology at the University of Akron, Health Care Administration at George Washington University, and Mental Health Counseling at Walsh University. He was deeply involved in the Unitarian Universalist church in Charlottesville, Virginia for many decades until his health declined, and saw it as his duty to give "something back" to the world in retirement. He spent a memorable period post-retirement as a dog walker in Washington, DC, where his care for the world was put to good use caring for small creatures needing companionship.

David's kindness and generosity of spirit as a parent was perhaps most adequately (and humorously) seen through the loving care he provided for a variety of the tiniest animals - hamsters, mice, and rats - all in aid of his animal-loving daughter. As for the rats, David long claimed one had severed the tip of his finger while he attempted to care for it during a prolonged power outage. Yet David remained undeterred from supporting his daughter's animal interests.

During daily drives to school with his son, David would quietly - but entirely - tolerate whole genres of music he undoubtedly wished he would never have to have heard. Yet he would ask for the names of songs and singers all the same.

His jovial laugh and smile at family events will be dearly missed by everyone, as will all the ways he showed love and support to the many people in his life.

David is survived by Martha Dawson, his wife of 58 years; son Matt Dawson, wife Megan Haury, and children Asher, Clementine and Lola; daughter Katie Watts, husband Ian, and children Veronica, Anson, Sebastian, and Seamus; niece Sharon Lupeika, husband Mike; sister-in-law Sara Dawson; and many beloved in-laws, nieces and nephews. David is preceded in death by his parents and brother.

On the death of another loved one, David once comforted, "love never leaves." We carry David's love and memory forward with us and hope to live out the kindness and care he offered others.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on December 6 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Charlottesville.