Dawn Whittington Lawson, hardworking, determined woman

Dawn Whittington Lawson, 76, of Frankford, passed away after a sudden illness Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, surrounded by her family.

She was born Sept. 22, 1947, and raised in Marion Station, Md. Dawn attended Marion High School before graduating from Strayer Business School.

A hardworking, determined woman, she spent over 50 years in the administrative assistant/human resources industry, holding various positions, including Bethany Beach town clerk. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Dawn’s proudest achievements were her daughter and two grandchildren. After retirement, she filled her time with volunteer work at Samaritan Thrift Store in Selbyville and South Coastal Library in Bethany Beach. She enjoyed supporting her local community and was a life member of the Ocean View VFW Auxiliary. Dawn was a caring animal lover and lifelong avid reader. She passed her love of books on to her daughter and grandchildren. As a single mom, she made sure Ronda felt no limits to what a woman could accomplish with hard work and determination. Dawn was a devoted neighbor and friend who looked forward to socializing, lunches, game nights, and happy hour. She was preceded in death by her father, Austin Whittington Jr.; and mother, Harriett Byrd Whittington.

Dawn leaves behind her daughter, Ronda Lawson-Blakeman (Christopher Lynch) of Frankford, two grandchildren, Caroline Blakeman (Allison) of Ocean Pines, Md., and Austin Blakeman of Forest Hill, Md.; and her cherished dachshund, Peppy.

A service to honor Dawn’s life will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 21, at St. Paul’s Church Cemetery, 28351 St. Paul’s Road, Marion Station, Md.

Instead of the traditional black, her family encourages attendees to wear their most colorful clothing and costume jewelry, just as Dawn would have wanted.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests charitable contributions be made to Brandywine Valley SPCA in Georgetown, an organization that Dawn contributed to before her passing.