Robert Wentworth Dawson

Robert Wentworth Dawson, 84 of Kilgore, Texas passed away peacefully in Shreveport, La. on December 19, 2015. A military service honoring his life will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 27th at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home in Longview, TX. Visitation with the family will be from 1:00-2:00 preceding the service. Officiating the service will be Jon Bailey of Westview Christian Church, Shreveport, La

Robert was born in San Antonio, TX to Floyd Ross Dawson, Sr. and Mable Corine Hopkins Dawson. He was the little brother of Floyd Ross Dawson, Jr. In 1934 the family moved to Shell Camp, TX on Highway 31 northwest of Kilgore. Robert began his school years at the Elder School, graduated from Kilgore High School and attended Kilgore College. His friends through the years were James Earl Byers and J.B. Wiggins.

Robert’s brother joined the National Guard unit in Kilgore and helped Robert get in when he was only 17 June 9 1948. A few years later, he joined the “regular” army as a buck private and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Robert proudly served his country for 30+ years and described it as “the best part of my life”. His years in the service spanned the NATO Occupation Forces in Europe, the Korean War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam War and the Cold War with Communist Russia. He had numerous assignments and traveled extensively but primarily he was a transportation officer responsible for planning for and the movement of military equipment and supplies contracted between the U.S. Army and the Army National Guard throughout TX. He was assigned in Dallas, Austin and Houston.

He separated from the Army for a time taking a job with the uniformed division of Federal Civil Service and was assigned to a dredge company with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers responsible for maintaining the depths of the Mississippi and Tombigbee Rivers.

When Robert retired he returned to the family home in Kilgore to take care of his father. He remained in Kilgore the rest of his life. He was an avid reader and student of history, especially of anything military.

Although Robert did not have any children, he doted on his three nieces Judy, Joan and Renee’. It was always a treat when Uncle Robert came home for a visit. He always had an interesting story to tell and liked to make people laugh.

He will be greatly missed by his nieces in Shreveport: Judy Dawson Boykin Kihneman and husband, Jim; Joan Dawson Stadtlander and husband Malcolm; Renee’ Dawson Beaird and husband Chris; his great nieces Erin Boykin Yates and husband Jeremy and their children Braden and Haley of Pearland, TX and Kayla Beaird of Shreveport; his great-nephews Eric James Boykin and Kyle Stadtlander both of Shreveport.