Ronald “Ron” Dodson

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ronald "Ron" Ralph Dodson, a loving and dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Just three short months ago, on May 5th, Ron lost his beloved wife, Kay, whom he had known and loved for almost 70 years. He mourned her daily and most certainly he died of a broken heart.

Ron was born on August 8, 1934, in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, to Ralph and Genevieve (Dunning) Dodson. He was their only child. Though he started life in Idaho, he spent much of his formative years in Alaska, moving there at age 5. He was drafted by the Army and fulfilled his active duty and reserve service at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks. Ron went on to leave his mark in the Alaskan skies. Just out of high school he was introduced to flying, bought his first plane and learned to fly as a bush pilot. In those years of limited radar and rudimental instruments, he became very experienced flying in the remote arctic regions of Alaska and was skilled at flying many different types of planes. He logged thousands of arctic flying hours and began his commercial airline pilot career with Alaska's Wien Airlines.

In 1956, he met the love of his life, Kay Tyrrell, a nursing student at Seattle University. They married in 1958, settled in Fairbanks and began their family. Their five daughters were born over the next eight years. In 1967, Ron accepted a job flying for Western Airlines and moved the family to Salt Lake City for a year, before finally settling in Washington state. He moved the family to their final home in Enumclaw WA in 1975, where he found joy managing his small farm, looking after his cherished animals, and spending time with his beloved family. Ron continued to fly for Western Airlines which eventually merged with Delta Airlines. He retired from Delta as a Captain over 31 years ago.

Ron was not just a brave navigator of the skies but also a very early and avid Apple Macintosh computer user. Ron embraced and enjoyed using his computer to manage finances, search his family history, and discover new things on the new "World Wide Web". He cherished his daily drives with Kay, and enjoyed regular visits to their favorite local restaurant, "The Lee." Ron had a great sense of humor and was a natural storyteller; his stories were legendary. From his tales of growing up in Alaska and flying the Alaskan bush to his description of the blind date that introduced him to Kay, Ron's stories never got old.

Ron served as a great example to others in the way he lived – honest, hardworking, straightforward, generous and respectful to others. He was fiercely protective of his family, and his word was his bond. While Kay was the heart of the family, Ron was the strong, solid, protective foundation. His loss is profoundly felt by all who knew him.

Ron and Kay were faithful members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for over fifty years. Ron's family and his quiet faith were the pillars of his life. He exemplified 1 John 3:18, which says "Children, our love must be not just words or mere talk, but something active and genuine."

Ron is survived by his daughters, Catherine "Cathi" Dodson, Susan "Sue" Zender (Mark), Margaret "Margi" Dodson, Theresa "Teri" Judkins (Mike), and Jennifer "Jenni" Stowell (Brendan), and his grandchildren, Daniel Zender, Catherine "Kate" Zender, Matthew Zender (Kristy), Nathan Judkins, Brian Judkins (Elyse), Rachel Lopez Stowell (Nico) and Abigail Stowell. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Catherine (Kay) Tyrrell Dodson; and his parents, Ralph and Genevieve Dodson and many friends and relatives including his Enumclaw cousin Bill Dunning.

The visitation will be held from 1-5pm on Thursday, 18 Sep 2025 with a recitation of the Rosary at to 3:00pm at Weeks' Enumclaw Funeral Home. The funeral mass will take place on Friday, 19 Sep 2025 at 11:00am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, followed by a luncheon at the same venue at 12:00pm. A graveside service will be held on the same day at 1:45pm at Holy Family Krain, Enumclaw, Washington.

In honoring Ron's life, we invite you to share your memories of him and upload photos to his memorial page. His life was filled with love and laughter, and your stories will help us all remember the joy that he brought into our lives.