Dr. David M. Dawson

Dr. David M. Dawson, 94, of Concord and Bedford, MA died peacefully on November 30, 2025. An esteemed neurologist, dedicated educator, and loving husband and father, Dr. Dawson passed away after a life rich in contribution and joy. Dr. Dawson was predeceased by his beloved wife of sixty-four years, Elizabeth Spencer Dawson.
A graduate of Harvard University (1952) and the University of Michigan Medical School (1956), Dr. Dawson worked in the field of neurology, completing his internship at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, residency at Boston City Hospital, and research fellowships in neurochemistry at Brandeis University. Dr. Dawson served as Captain in the Army Medical Corps for two years in active duty at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas from 1957-1959.
Dr. Dawson is remembered by hundreds of medical students as an educator at Harvard Medical School, rising from Instructor to Professor of Neurology between 1965 and 1992, He held numerous key appointments at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital and Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, including Physician in Neurology, as well as consultancies and appointments at Children's Hospital Medical Center, New England Baptist Hospital, and as Chief of Neurology at Brockton and West Roxbury VA Hospitals. The Inpatient Neurology David Michael Dawson Ward Service at Brigham & Women's Hospital was named for Dr. Dawson's many years of exemplary service.
Dr. Dawson's research focused on critical areas, including the natural history and experimental therapy of Multiple Sclerosis and clinical trials for stroke patients. He was deeply committed to medical education, earning the Teacher of the Year award in 1983 and the Partners Neurology Mentorship Award in 1999, alongside serving in major administrative roles guiding the ensuing generation of neurologists. He authored or co-authored many articles and several books, including Brigham Neurology, the Early Days: Growth of Neurology at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital from 1910 to 1956, and The Cradle of American Neurology: The Harvard Neurological Unit at Boston City Hospital, co-edited with Thomas D. Sabin. Dr. Dawson leaves behind a legacy of brilliant medical service, inspiring mentorship, and the joy of a life fully and authentically lived.
Beyond his professional achievements, David was known for his generous spirit and eternal optimism. David was a loving husband, a committed father of five, and a fun and patient grandfather. Many family memories were forged in the forests, fields and ponds of his beloved summer house in Peacham, Vermont. David was a dedicated community member in Concord, Massachusetts from 1972 to 2014, known for his volunteer work on many committees. With his wife Beth, he was a long-term member of the choir at First Parish Unitarian Church and a singer and amateur actor at Friends of the Performing Arts in Concord.
Predeceasing David was his wife Elizabeth S. Dawson, and his brother John Phillip Dawson of New York City. David leaves his children Jennifer Dawson of Peabody, MA; Mollie Dawson, her partner Tom Chase, son Shane Abrams and his wife Linnea Wilhjelm of Montpelier, VT; Timothy Dawson, his wife Melanie, and children Brendan and Sabrina Dawson of Sydney, Australia; Matthew Dawson, his wife Kristen Hawkeswood, and children Eloise and Cosima Hawkeswood-Dawson of Toronto, ON; and Andrew Dawson, his wife Ellen, and son Grady Dawson Flaherty of Burbank, CA; his brother Dr. Peter Dawson and his wife Joan of Boulder, CO; and many nieces and nephews.
A celebration of David's life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at First Parish Unitarian Church, 20 Lexington Road, Concord, MA 01742.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the MS Society or the Vermont Land Trust.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.