DONALD ROBERT DOBSON (Lt. Col., Ret), 77, of Mount Vernon,
TX passed away on July 25, 2017 at his home, after a brief,
hardfought illness, with burial at Will’s Cemetery in Peculiar,
MO.
Don was born on a rural farm in Peculiar, MO, during a heavy
snow storm, on Jan. 11, 1940 to the late Robert Franklin &
Mildred Odessa Stine Dobson. During high school, Don played
numerous sports, excelling in softball and baseball. Don
earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Central Missouri
State University and his Master’s Degree in Education Admini-
stration from the University of Southern California.
Don proudly served his country in the United States Air Force,
where he earned the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his
24 years of service, Don and family were stationed in Salina -
Kansas, Tucson - Arizona, and Madrid - Spain. Don retired
from the Air Force and began his second career at AT&T where
he worked his way to the position of Senior Product Manager.
After 30 dedicated years, Don retired to his life at the lake.
He worked as Product Manager in the Transformer & Inductor
group in Dallas for several years.
Don married JoAnn Reed in Dec. of 1962 in Peculiar, MO. To-
gether they spent the next 42 years raising a family, traveling
the world and living a lifetime of memories until her passing
in 2004. Don married Judith Ann Purdy in Dec. of 2006 in
Nacogdoches, TX. Together they have shared the last 10 plus
years living life at the lake and enjoying retirement.
Don was a religious man, always finding a home church wherever
he was living. For the past 17 years, Don has been an active
member of the First Baptist Church of Mount Vernon where he
served on various committees and taught Sunday school. Don
always enjoyed traveling with friends, especially to Canada.
He was a life-long sportsman where he had a deep love for
hunting and fishing. Don even taught a freshwater fishing
class at Longview College in Missouri for many years. He
enjoyed making his own fishing lures and reloading his own
shotgun shells. Don even won many Angler of the Year awards
for his fishing abilities. Those who knew Don best will
always remember him for the love he had for the lake and the
lifestyle that came with it, but know that Don’s greatest
joy in life came from his beloved family. He leaves behind
a dedication to his God, his country, and his family that
will live on in the hearts of those he knew and loved.
Don is survived by his wife, Judy Dobson, of Mount Vernon;
one son, Robert Dean Dobson, and wife Sue, of Barboursville,
VR; two daughters, Deborah Jean Meiron, and husband Mitch,
of Raymore, MO and Cheryl Donean Schmidt, and husband Randy,
of Spring, TX; one step-son, Chris Purdy, and wife Karen,
of Marshall, MO; one step-daughter, Tina Tipton, and husband
Tony, of Little Elm, TX; one brother, Larry Lee Dobson, and
wife Mary, of Peculiar, MO; and by a host of grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, and other relatives and very special
friends.