- Date Of Birth: November 26, 1917
- Date Of Death: December 27, 2013
- State: Utah
DEATH OF FORMER ROY MAYOR JOSEPH DAWSON
ROY – Joseph Dawson, age 96, of Roy, died unexpectedly on December 27, 2013. He was the husband of Verla Simpson Dawson, the father of six children, a successful farmer and businessman, a former Roy City Councilman and Mayor, as well as a church and civic leader.
Joseph was born November 26, 1917 in Clinton, Utah, the son of John Dawson and Fannie Terry Dawson. He was the fourth of nine children, consisting of seven sisters and two brothers. With his death there remains from that family only the youngest sister, Lois Geddes.
Joseph lived with his mother, father, brother and sisters in Clinton, in Ogden, and later in the Roy area, which was incorporated as Roy City in 1937. He helped his father operate a farm on the land which was to become the Ogden Municipal Airport. During the 1930s, along with his older brother Wilbert, he went into the Civilian Conservation Corps, where he helped build roads in rural Emery County, Utah. The Great Depression left a marked imprint on him which was to last his entire lifetime, producing solid life values and a deeply-held compassion for the poor and unfortunate. His outstanding character and fierce work ethic, especially for hard physical toil, were recognized by all who knew him. He was a shining example for his children.
Joseph was married to Verla Simpson in the Salt Lake Temple on January 21, 1942, less than two months after entry of the United States into World War II. They raised one daughter and five sons: Kent J. Dawson, Gary J. Dawson, Michael J. Dawson, Marsha D. Rose, John E. Dawson, and Bruce L. Dawson. He also had, at his death, ten surviving grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. A grandson, Brooks G. Dawson, was killed in an automobile accident in 2001.
Joseph and Verla lived their entire married life of almost 72 years in four different houses on 4800 South Street in Roy, always running farms. They moved to their final residence in 1997, where Joseph immediately surrounded the house with fruit trees, mostly peaches. From these trees he enjoyed homegrown peaches every September and bottled peaches during the rest of the year. Through September 2013, people continued to drop in to buy their fresh peaches, just as they had done since the 1940s.
Joseph gave unstintingly of his time and talents to numerous civic activities. He was elected to three terms as a city councilman in Roy, interrupting the last term as a councilman to be elected Mayor. He served two full terms in that office. For many years, he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company, eventually to become its President. It was always his belief and desire that the area should have affordable irrigation water for agriculture and households. He was closely involved with projects that brought inexpensive pressurized irrigation water to the areas served by the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company. He was also a member of the Weber River Water Users Association, receiving the award of Water Statesman of the Year at the 1997 convention of the Utah Water Users Association.
Over the years he served in many church callings, including six years as a Stake High Councilman, Senior President of the Seventies Quorum, Elders Quorum President, and scoutmaster. He and Verla also supported all five sons on missions.
During the final years of his life, he read dozens of books on history, religion, geography and culture. He often lamented that he had not had the time to do so in his younger years.
He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.
