Mary Elizabeth Dawson

Mary Elizabeth Dawson, age 78, passed away on January 8, 2022.  She was born on September 30, 1943, to George William and Martha (Ladd) Kuhn in Bad Axe, Michigan.  Mary's father passed away when she was four, leaving Mary and her brother Fred to be cared for by their mother.  They lived in Southeast Michigan and moved to Hastings in 1955.  Mary graduated from Hastings High School and earned her bachelor's and master's degree from Western Michigan University, both summa cum laude.  Mary and Ron Dawson celebrated 57 years of marriage but only celebrating their anniversary every four years, as they were married on February 29, 1964.

Mary was employed by Western Michigan University and was contracted to the Michigan Department of Education to be the State Director for Business Professionals of America.  She served in many capacities on state and national committees and represented Michigan on the National BPA State Advisory Committee.  She left WMU to become a business teacher at Hastings Area Schools in 1986.  Mary received lifetime honorary memberships for her work in business education from the Michigan Business Education Association and Michigan Business Professionals of America.

After retirement from Hastings Schools in 2005, Mary, along with her husband, worked with the Commission on Aging "Meals on Wheels" program.  Mary was a member of the Hastings Chapter of the General Federation of Women's Clubs.  She believed education was for all and promoted programs for retirees.  She was the Barry County Representative on the Kellogg community College Institute for Learning in Retirement Board before it was dissolved.  Mary was a member of the Michigan Association for Retired School Personnel.  She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church.  She especially enjoyed the time with her grandchildren and documented their pre-school times with her in photobooks of their various activities.

Mary was predeceased by her parents and brother Fred and sister-in-law Helen.  She is survived by her husband Ron and Children Kathy (Jeff) Domenico of Hastings and Tom (Rebecca) Dawson of Byron Center and grandchildren Matthew Domenico and Will and Henry Dawson.

Visitation will be at Noon with a service at 1:00 PM at Grace Lutheran Church, 239 North Avenue, Hastings on Saturday, January 15, 2022. A private committal service will be held at a later date.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donation may be made to a charity of one's choice or to the ELCA World Hunger Program, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, ELCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 1809, Merrifield, VA 22116-8009.  Arrangements by Girrbach Funeral Home.  To leave an online condolence, visit www.girrbachfuneralhome.net .