Judith Evelyn Sullivan Dawson passed from this life to the next on July 24, 2020. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on October 28, 1937, to John Sullivan Jr., and Evelyn (Satter) Sullivan. After World War II, her family settled in Bismarck, North Dakota and she attended Bismarck High School. While at the University of North Dakota, she edited the Dakota Student newspaper, was a member of Theta Sigma Phi (Women in Journalism), Mortar Board and Delta Gamma Sorority, and received the Sigma Delta Chi scholarship award, the Blanche Lynch journalism scholarship and the Larry Schlasinger Cup awarded to the outstanding senior in journalism. After graduating cum laude from the University of North Dakota (UND) in 1959, she was hired as writer for the Bismarck Tribune. As she developed her journalism skills into freelance public relations, she left to begin master's degree study at Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism. There she met and married Jerry Dawson, a Naval officer also pursuing that goal. Meanwhile, she worked in Chicago as news bureau officer for Mundelein College. When Jerry returned to active duty, she became research editor of Virginia Guidebook in Williamsburg, then worked several years for Air Force Magazine in Washington, D.C. After moving to the Tampa area in 1971, Judy provided PR services to small businesses, corporations, and nonprofits. She also published magazine articles and won a humor writing award from the Florida Freelance Writers Association. In the 1980s, she served as Lederle Laboratories' Florida chairman of the State Pneumonia Prevention Campaign. In 1994, she became public relations officer of the Tampa Bay History Center, promoting its educational programs, publishing its newsletter, and establishing a membership base. Her last endeavor was writing book reviews for the Tampa Tribune. In 2013 she received an Alvin E. Austin Legacy Award from the University of North Dakota Center for Community Engagement. She lived in Lutz, FL with her 2nd Yorkie, and leaves behind two sons, Stuart Dawson and Christopher Dawson, and one grandson, Conner; and two brothers, John Sullivan III and Patrick Sullivan, both of Bismarck, North Dakota. Jerry, her husband of 53 years, passed away in March of 2013. She also leaves behind many friends who cherished her wit and endless sense of humor.
Memorial Service for Judy will be held this Thursday, August 27, 2020 at 12:00 pm at Blount & Curry FH-Carrollwood, 3207 W Bearss Ave, Tampa, FL.
Graveside Service will be held on August 27, 2020 at 2:00 pm at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 S. W. 102nd Ave, Bushnell, FL.
If you are interested in personally attending and/or speaking, please let us know.
IF YOU WANT TO VIEW A LIVESTREAM OF THE MEMORIAL PLEASE LOAD THIS LINK BY NOON THURSDAY:
https://www.facebook.com/christopher.dawson.7161
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