PHILIP H. DAWSON Sr.

Age 88, passed away on Monday, June 26, 2006, peacefully in his sleep at St. John Hospital in Detroit. He was born on August 14, 1917, near Haven in Reno County, Kansas, to Dottie (Laughlin) and William Dawson. He was raised in Hutchinson, Kansas. Mr. Dawson went to the University of Kansas, where he received a B.S. degree in business in 1939, a Bachelors of Law (LL.B.) Degree in 1942 and a Juris Doctor degree in 1968. Mr. Dawson married Bette Tudor Wilson on December 27, 1941. He served in the U. S. Military in World War II and would retire from the Army Reserves with the final rank of Major, General Staff Corps (M.I.). After WWII, Mr. Dawson became Assistant to the President and Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and member of the Board of Directors of The Vernor's Gingerale Co., Detroit, then in 1949, Executive Director and General Counsel of the Detroit Lumbermen's Association. In 1952, he became Executive Vice-President and General Counsel of the F. M. Sibley Lumber Company and in 1963, he formed Sibley Lumber Centers, Inc., which he and then later his son, Philip Howard Dawson, Jr., operated. In approximately 1978, Mr. Dawson returned to the practice of law and in 1979 formed a law firm with his younger son, Peter W. Dawson, which is now Dawson and Dawson, P.C. He was active in his law practice until his death. He is survived by his three children, Philip Howard Dawson, Jr., Mary Jane Dawson and Peter W. (Cathy) Dawson and his grandchildren, Melissa (Rod) Spiegel, Alex Dawson, Kimberly Quasarano, Will, Molly and Emily Dawson. He was predeceased by his wife, Bette, and his sisters, Florence D. Stark, Frances D. Gorges and Garnetta D. Doherty and his brother, David W. Dawson. A memorial service will be held at Christ Church, Grosse Pointe, in the future. Call (313) 642-4700 for more information. Inurnment will be in the Christ Church Columbarium. Further details and a complete obituary may be found at http://www.pdawson.net/PHD.htm. Memorial contributions may be made to: The Special Music Fund at Christ Church Grosse Pointe, 61 Grosse Pointe Blvd, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236: (313) 885-4841. The James Barclay Smith Student Loan Fund, University of Kansas School of Law, 1535 W 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66045; (785) 864-4550.