Thomas W Dodson

Thomas W. Dodson Thomas West Dodson, 82, Maury County native, died October 11, 2003, in Atlanta, Michigan, where he had made his home for several years. A graveside memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, May 8, 2004, at Knob Creek Cemetery with Rev. Harvel Stockard officiating. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be made to Northeast Michigan Alzheimers Association, 100 Woods Circle, Suite 300, Alpena, Michigan 49707 or to your local Alzheimers Association. Born May 27, 1921 in the Knob Creek Community, Mr. Dodson was the son of Smith A. and Clara Goad Dodson. He attended Cumberland University at Lebanon after graduating from Columbia Central High School. He earned a BS in Education and a MS in School Administration from the University of Michigan. He entered the military service in April 1942 and received his Pilot's Wings and 2nd Lt. commission in the Army Air Corps in May 1943. Many of his adult years were spent in the U.S. Air Force and the Reserves serving in the Troop Carrier Command, the Korean and Cuban Campaigns as an Instructor Pilot, and with the 439th Fighter Bomber Wing, he served as Operations Officer and Squadron Commander, respectively. He also served as the Military Operations Officer at Chicago's O'Hare Field providing logistics for Presidents Nixon, Kennedy, and Johnson. Before Lt. Colonel Dodson retired from military service in 1971, he flew several missions with the 442 MAC Wing delivering supplies to U.S. forces in Viet Nam. During the years following World War II, Mr. Dodson taught school in Michigan. He flew as one of the Corporate Pilots for General Motors before taking the position of Director of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation with the Pontiac Public Schools. The last fifteen years of employment were with the U. S. Government as Employee Relations Specialist/Labor Relations in GSA and Director of Personnel in HEW/HHS in Region 5 covering six states. He was a member of the Onaway, Michigan United Methodist Church and Canada Creek Ranch, where he was active on several committees. Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Jennings Dodson of Atlanta, Michigan; four sons, Larry Wittkopf of Britton, Michigan; Thomas (Susan) Dodson, II of Barrington, Illinois; David (Janet) Dodson of Cedar Grove, Wisconsin; Darryll (Carol) Dodson of Minneapolis, Minnesota; one daughter, Debra Dodson of Brown Deer Wisconsin; one sister, Mary Nelson of Memphis, Tennessee; seven grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Margaret Pickell; and brother, Smith A. Dodson, Jr.