Thank you for visiting, we would love to hear from everyone, please be sure to sign our guestbook. We will add pictures to honor our beloved at a later time.
Ralph Leon Dawson, 71, of Crum, WV died August 24, 2008 at Cabell Huntington Hospital.
Ralph was born in Crum, WV, March 27, 1937 to George Wallace and Jessie Raines Dawson, the fourth of five sons and two daughters. He was preceded in death by one brother, James Franklin Dawson and two sisters, Phyllis Ann “Dolly” Browning, and Mary Carroll Reinhart. He is survived by his wife, Ima Jean (Ward) Dawson; Three sons: Ralph Leon Dawson, II of Proctorville, OH, Robert Lyle Dawson of Huntington, WV, and Ronald Lee Dawson, of Crum, WV; Four grandchildren: Jessica Leigh DeHaven (Aaron) of Louisville, KY, Matthew Ryan Dawson of Proctorville, OH, Sara Lynn Dawson of Louisville, KY and Dillon Anthony Waller of Crum, WV. He is also survived by three brothers: Charles Wallace Dawson of Milton, WV, Jack Dawson of Columbus, OH and Lowell Herbert Dawson of Crum, WV.
Ralph graduated as valedictorian of Crum High School in 1955. He attended Pikeville College, Berea College and Peabody College. He earned both his AB & MA in Education at Marshall University.
Ralph was a well-respected and important part of the Crum community in Southern Wayne County. He was an educator who spent much of his life in the Wayne County School System. He was a teacher and Principal of Crum Elementary for over 43 years. He touched the lives of thousands of children.
Ralph was instrumental in bringing municipal water to hundreds of families, starting work on the project in 1960. He was Chairman of the Crum Public Service District until his death.
As co-owner of Crum Pizza House, many in the area have enjoyed seeing Ralph, proudly dressed in his Marshall gear, greet them as he and his wife have been serving Crum in that capacity for over 27 years.
He also participated in numerous civic and fraternal organizations: He was former Secretary of Jewel Lodge #140 AF & AM, Logan Royal Arch Chapter, Logan Commandry, Beni Kedem Temple AAONMS, Crum Chapter OES #160, Past Patron of Kermit Chapter OES #123, Williamson Elks Lodge and Williamson Moose Lodge.
He was a former Scout Master of the Crum Boy Scout Troop, Chairman of the Wayne County Community Services Organization, a member of the Wayne County Economic Development Association and a Kentucky Colonel.
Funeral and Visitation
Visitation: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 5:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m. at Wilson Funeral Home, Louisa, KY & Thursday, August 28, 2008 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Silver Creek United Baptist Church, Crum, WV
Funeral: Thursday, August 28, 2008 1:00 p.m. Silver Creek United Baptist Church, Crum, WV
(for directions, click below, be sure to put your street, city and state to ensure accuracy, the point of interest is already filled in)
Directions to Funeral Home
Directions to Church
August 25, 2008 245PM
My dad, Ralph, was a lover of anything that is on the cutting edge or new. My family and I feel he would love the fact that his memory can live on indefinitely for others to see via this great medium we call the internet. Please be sure to sign our guest book with your thoughts and prayers. He loved his hometown of Crum, WV. We chose the picture above because we felt it represented the unique beauty of the area that Dad loved so much. We will be adding pictures as time passes... We will update the site with the arrangements as soon as they become available.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there, I did not die.
Mary Frye
Make Me an Instrument of Thy Peace.
Lord make me an instrument
of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master; grant that I may
not so much seek to be consoled as
to console; to be understood as to
understand; to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
and it is in pardoning that we are
pardoned, and it is in dying that
we are born to eternal life.
Funeral and Visitation
Visitation: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 5:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m. at
Wilson
Silver Creek United Baptist Church, Crum, WV
Funeral: Thursday, August 28, 2008 1:00 p.m. Silver Creek United Baptist
Church, Crum, WV
I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought about you yesterday and days before that too,
I think of you in silence I often speak your name
All I have are memories and your picture in a frame
Your memory is my keepsake with which I’ll never part
God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.
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