Dr. Roy Dawson

Dr. William Roy Dawson Jr., 81, of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, April 4, 2009, at his home.

He was born April 2, 1928, in Montgomery, Ala., son of William R. and Annie Ruth Graydon Dawson. He and Carol McCollum were married on August 21, 1948, in Montgomery, Ala.

He served in the Navy during World War II, stationed in San Diego. He attended the University of Alabama, where he received his master's degree in English in 1952 and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. He taught high school for one year in Monticello, Fla., and junior high school for eight years in Orlando, Fla. He then taught English at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson, Tenn., from 1964 to 1965, then at Southeast Missouri State University from 1965 to 1998, retiring in 1998. Through his great-grandson, he became involved with the Boy Scouts, eventually becoming an assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 5 in Cape Girardeau. He was a member of Centenary United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife; a son, Steven Carter (Wanda) Dawson of Mobile, Ala.; a daughter, Janie Elizabeth (Roy) McGaugh of Cape Girardeau; a sister, Ann Lee Jones of Montgomery; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father, William R. Dawson Sr., mother, Annie Ruth Graydon Dawson, and a brother.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Chapel.

The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral chapel, with the Rev. Jeff Long officiating.

Burial will be at Memorial Park Mausoleum in Cape Girardeau.