David Barnett Dawson's Obituary
David Dawson, 68, a retired journalist, writer and editor, died on Thursday, May 18 after a long illness. He was born in Memphis and lived most of his life in Germantown and Memphis.
Survivors include his wife Barbara, their two children – Rachel Greer (Josh) and Alec Dawson, and four grandchildren – Marley, Willa and Dawson Greer and Lavender Dawson. All live in the Memphis area.
David was a graduate of the University of Memphis, earning a master’s degree in history. A thirst for eclectic knowledge inspired his academic work and made him a dedicated lifelong learner. He read widely, took online courses and generously shared information and insights with relatives and friends.
His broad knowledge, intense curiosity and verbal skills served him well throughout his career. He was associate editor of Memphis Magazine in the 1970s and executive editor of Towery Publishing in Memphis from 1986-2002.
His journalism appeared in publications including Time, Fortune, Money, the New York Times Book Review, Columbia Journalism Review, The Commercial Appeal and Southern Magazine. He also edited and wrote for a range of other national business and community publications, and his work was anthologized for college-level English courses.
David had a memorably persistent and endearing sense of humor – on display in his everyday life and his writing – and loved practical jokes. His hobbies included reading, photography, listening to music, and playing the guitar and other instruments.
He loved dogs and gave them fanciful names with pop-culture references that he liked to explain, like Basil and Mr. Cracker. He was fond of dining at local restaurants and loved to think of himself as the “father” to all of the servers at one favorite, the American Café.
Other survivors include his brother Bill Dawson (Glenna) and niece and nephews – Will Dawson and Sarah Ellison (John), Geoffrey Fargo (Sharon) and Jason Fargo (Hillary) as well as his brother-in-law, David Fargo (Sally).
David’s wonderful life will be celebrated at a small gathering. In lieu of traditional remembrances, donations may be made in his honor to the Down Syndrome Association of Memphis & the Mid-South or the Germantown Animal Shelter.
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