Charles Harlan Dawson

Charles Harlan Dawson
Sturgeon - Charles Harlan Dawson, 84 of Sturgeon, died Saturday June 12, 2021 at Boone Hospital Center in Columbia.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Thursday, June 17, 2021 at the Sturgeon Baptist Church with burial to follow in Mt. Horeb Cemetery in Sturgeon.
Visitation will be held from 5:00-8:00 PM Wednesday at the Sturgeon Baptist Church.
Charles was born on September 12, 1936 the son of Jethro Daniel and Anna Grace (Lawrence) Dawson at their home near Thomas Hill, Missouri.
He graduated from Clifton Hill High School in 1954.
Charles married his high school sweetheart, Mary Evelyn Kitchen on September 25, 1955, she is the daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Mary Ruth (Moss) Kitchen.
God blessed them with a happy marriage of 65 years, and his wife Mary survives of the home.
While still in high school, he started his working years by doing farm work for a farmer in the area. After graduation, he went to work for A.B. Chance Co. in Centralia, where he worked for 12 years. For the next seven years he worked for the University of Missouri in the Science Instrument Shop as a research machinist. The Director of the Vocational School in Moberly contacted Charles about becoming the Machine Tool Technology Instructor, and he worked the next 22 years there, retiring in 1996. During his time at the Vo-Tech, he accumulated several college hours by attending night and weekend classes. He also attended the auctioneer school in Kansas City, and received his Auctioneer License. Charles later obtained his real estate license and sold real estate and did auctions part-time. After retiring, the next 13 years were spent occasionally substitute teaching at the Vo-Tech school, and as a maintenance technician for DBC Rentals in Columbia.
Charlie accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior at an early age and was a member of the Sturgeon Baptist Church. He served in many church positions through the years, and was ordained a deacon in 1980.
Charlie also coached little league baseball, coaching his son Jeff's team through all their little league years.
He also served on the Sturgeon School Board and as an Alderman for the City of Sturgeon.
Along with his wife Mary, Charlie is survived by a son, Charles Stephen "Steve" Dawson and wife Rhonda; a grandson, Zack Dawson and wife Ashley, great-grandson, Graydon Dale Dawson all of Sturgeon; granddaughter, Sarah Dawson and husband J. Humphrey of Louisville, KY; a sister, Betty Anthony, sister-in-law, Velma Dawson, brothers-in-law, Tom Kitchen, Donald Hughes; nephews, Leroy Anthony, Mark Anthony, Carl Anthony, Lawrence Wayne Dawson, Richard Dawson, Kenneth Dawson, Keith Dawson, Mike Kitchen, John Kitchen, Gerald Hughes, a niece, Karen Dent and many other relatives and friends.
Charles was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law, a daughter, Peggy Diane Dawson(1971), son Jeffrey Dale Dawson(1984), nephew George Hughes, niece Molly Kay Kientzy, brother, Lawrence Dawson, brother-in-law, Bob Anthony, sisters-in-law, Dola Dawson, and Martha Hughes.
Memorial donations are suggested to the Missouri Baptist Children's Home and may be sent in care of Fenton-Kendrick Funeral Home, 104 S. Collier, Centralia, MO 65240.
Online Condolences may be left at www.fentonkendrickfh.com