Francis Dawson

Francis P. Dawson, 89, of North Andover and formerly of Wakefield, died on Sunday, July 11 at his home.

Born in Medford on May 13, 1921 he was the son of the late Peter J. and Elizabeth (O'Hagan) Dawson.

Mr. Dawson was a graduate of Somerville High School, class of 1940. He had also attended Brandeis University, Bentley and M.I.T. During World War II he served in the U.S. Coast Guard. He had worked for the Division of Employment Security DES, as a senior statistical machine operator and retired as assistant supervisor of Property and Management in 1984 after 32 years of service.

Mr. Dawson had been a resident of Wakefield from 1961 to 1998 and a resident of North Andover for the past 13 years. He had been very actively involved in many community and veterans organizations. He was the past president of the PTA of the Hurd School. He helped start and plan the first banquet for the Pop Warner Football teams. He was a member of James A. Logan Post VFW 6800 of Somerville, a lifetime member of the Reading Post #37 DAV, Honorary Life Member of the Crystal Community Club of Wakefield, member of the Wakefield 350 Committee, past president of Wakefield Allied Veterans Council, a Life Member and Commander of the Sgt. Gerald F. Scott Post #145, Amvets of Wakefield. In 1996 Mr. Dawson was chosen as a Co-Grand Marshal for the Wakefield 4th of July Parade, an honor which made him and his family proud. He was also a member of St. Joseph Church in Wakefield and St. Michael Church in North Andover.

Mr. Dawson was the husband of Roberta (Simmons) Dawson. He was the father of Robert F. Dawson and his wife Faye of Grants Pass, OR, Peter J. Dawson and his wife Barbara of Orem, UT, Francis P., Dawson, Jr. and his wife Julie of Woburn and Sheryl A. Kaplan Stirk and her husband Bill of North Andover. He was the brother of the late Sally Currie, James Dawson, John Dawson and Virginia Duggan and brother-in-law of John Duggan of Arlington. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

His funeral will be held from the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave. Wakefield on Thursday at 9 a.m. followed by a funeral mass in St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield at 10 o'clock. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Interment will be at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield.

Read Francis Dawson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.mcdonaldfs.com.

Visitation

McDonald Funeral Home
19 Yale Ave.
Wakefield , MA US 01880
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Service

St. Joseph Church
173 Albion Street
Wakefield , MA US 01880
Thursday, July 15, 2010, 10:00 AM

Cemetery

Forest Glade Cemetery
Lowell Street
Wakefield , MA US 01880
Thursday, July 15, 2010, 11:30 AM