Dawson McDaniel Obituary

Obituary

Dawson McDaniel, age 93, a Lee County native, passed away on July 21, 2007, at Hope Hospice House, Fort Myers, FL. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 53 years, Etta Conner McDaniel; a sister, Hazel Johnson; and brother, Bart McDaniel. He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Edythe Taylor McDaniel and his brother, Fred W. (Jean) McDaniel. Dawson and Etta were blessed with three children, Bobbie (Franky) Daniels, Jackie (Bill) Mills, and Dawson Conner (Georgianna) McDaniel. Grandchildren include Alan Daniels, Kimberlee Williams, and Brenda (Joe) McKenzie; John Dawson Mills and Joy Mills; George Dawson (Christina) McDaniel and Anna McDaniel. Great grandchildren include Gary and Grant Williams; Glades and Griffin McKenzie. Dawson also had two stepchildren, Roger (Marian) Shawcross, Nancy (Theodore) Johnson, and their families.

Family visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Broadway Community Church, 3309 Broadway Avenue, Fort Myers. Memorial service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at Broadway Community Church.

Dawson attended Edgewood Elementary, Fort Myers Junior High, and graduated from Fort Myers Senior High. He was committed to his family, his church, and his community. He engaged in several business ventures during his career, including a restaurant, Scotties Coffee Shop, and real estate sales. He founded Dawson McDaniel Realty in the early 1950s and was instrumental in the developments of Gulf Haven and Trailer Haven at St. James City, Morningside Subdivision in Fort Myers, and Sanibel Isles on Sanibel. For many years he served as a Sunday School teacher, councilman, and finance clerk of the Palm Beach Boulevard Church of God. Dawson dedicated the majority of his career to politics serving his community as a Lee County Commissioner from 1954 to 1958 and as Lee County Tax Collector from 1960 to 1980. During his tenure as tax collector, he served as the state president for the association. Upon retirement in 1980, Dawson and Etta happily traveled across the United States and Canada in their RV. He resumed his real estate business and served as a consultant to legislative delegations and local land developers, including Bonita Bay. Shortly after Etta passed away, Dawson renewed his childhood friendship with Edythe Taylor. They enjoyed 12 years together before he was moved to an Alzheimer's facility.

The family would like to express sincere and heartfelt thanks to the caregivers at Alterra Clare Bridge and Hope Hospice for their commitment to providing quality care with dignity.

Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to Broadway Community Church, 3309 Broadway Avenue, Fort Myers, FL 33901; or Hope Hospice, 9470 Health Park Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The News-Press from Jul. 24 to Jul. 25, 2007.

Memories and Condolences
for Dawson McDaniel

9 Entries

Nancy Murkerson

July 30, 2007

Dear Family, So sorry to hear of Uncle Dawsons passing. Would love to have been able to come be with you all at this time. We have such fond memories of him and Aunt Etta, going to their home by the river. Fishing on the pier, taking a boat ride to the beach and getting blistered. Drinking the fresh squeezed orange juice at the house out back. The laughter that resonated around the dinner table was priceless. But the small feet that carried such a man of faith will not be forgotten by me, because two of my daughters have also inherited the family gene for small feet. Thanks for all that he has given to us, the McDaniel family. One thing in particular is that he taught Mother how to bake those delicious peacan pies. We will miss him, just knowing he has joined the others in the family that have gone on before.
Love to all, Robert and Joyce Murkerson

Doug and Kay Bartleson

July 26, 2007

To the family, we are saddened by the your loss and our thoughts and prayers are with you. Doug and Kay Bartleson

Helen Schuetz

July 25, 2007

Jackie, I am truly to hear of your fathers passing. We now live in Tallahassee, but remembere Ft. Myers as our HOME. Your father was a great man for our time. He will be missed by many. Helen and Roy Schuetz

Shirley R. Johnson(Brenneman)

July 24, 2007

Dawson (Lovingly known to me as Mr. Mack) You were the best employer I ever had. You were not just an employer but a genuine friend. One who cared about your employees. Please know you will be sadly missed by me. Shirley R. Johnson(Brenneman)

Will & Gerry (Snyder) Parmley

July 24, 2007

Dawson & Georgianna and Family,

Your father has gone on to Glory and some day you will join him there! We will all be whole physically & mentally and it is a day to look forward to. Yes, he will surely be missed here, but this is the time to remember all the good times you shared with him and remember our Hope in the Lord.

Even though I am unable to attend the services for your father, you definitely are in our thoughts and prayers and love.

Junia Marino

July 24, 2007

Dawson,

I will cherish the memories I have of you AND your family serving our church and the community. Now you have joined heaven's jubilee. I look forward to seeing you and all our pioneers of the church when we all join the jubilee choir. -Junia Sherman Marino (Hank)

Mildred S. Goodson

July 24, 2007

Hello,
Sandra and I are thinking about you folks during this time; as you know, Mother and Dad died a few months apart in 2002; no matter our ages there is a place that remains in our hearts which holds those precious memories of them. And so it is today we recall good memories of those days we shared with Aunt Etta and Uncle Dawson and you girls, particularly, as you were near our ages, when you would visit us in Bristol, or we in Tampa at reunions. Mother and Dad respected and admired your folks very much.
Love, Mildred Strickland Goodson and Sandra Strickland Willis, daughters of Edith Conner Strickland.

Vivian Pigott

July 24, 2007

Dawson,
You were many things to many people but to me you were: My family's best friend. You were always there with us when times were difficult. I remember when you cooked breakfast for us when a loved one died or made a pecan pie at Christmas time. You always offered a word of encouragement when the road got rough and you taught me many things by the way you lived and worked. We shared the love of each others families and the love of God. You were the best....Our loss but Heaven's gain.

Johnny and Sonya McDaniel

July 24, 2007

Uncle Dawson:
You walked the walked
You talked the talk
You lived the life
and set A Godly Example for all of us!

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