W. H. Dodson

Warthman Harrison "Pete" Dodson, 93, died on Friday, August 8, 2008 at his residence in Jamesville. Born on August 6, 1915 in St. Michaels, on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, he was the son of the late Robert S. and Ethel Watkins Dodson. He was married first to Margaret Teresa Friel Dodson, and later Faye Ankeny Fish Dodson, both of whom predeceased him. Mr. Dodson was largely self-made and self-taught, his last formal schooling being at age 15 when he was graduated from St. Michaels High School. He was an officer on ocean-going merchant vessels for many years early in life. He served in the United States Merchant Marine the entirety of World War II in all maritime theatres of combat, and maintained his Coast Guard license as Chief Engineer until the late 1990s. Returning to civilian life, Mr. Dodson became an expert in water structure. In the decade of the 1950s, he was detailed to the Savannah River Project to aid in development of the hydrogen bomb. He subsequently pursued a commercial engineering career in water purification with The Permutit Company, which work continued to take him around the world. In a career move, Mr. Dodson relocated to Jacksonville, Florida in 1971. He continued living in Florida for thirty years, most recently in St. Augustine Beach, Florida, where he was Mayor. He was a Mason for more than 50 years, and very active in the Shrine, being a past President of the Shrine Club in St. Augustine, Florida. He moved back to the Eastern Shore, albeit the Eastern Shore of Virginia, not Maryland, in 2000. He continued to enjoy living on the water, nature, flower gardening (especially roses), travel, working hard, having a good laugh, and above all caring about and helping others. Mr. Dodson is survived by his daughter Mary Jane Dodson of Jamesville, his sister Dorothy Keithley of St. Michaels, Maryland and his brother William L. Dodson of Pensacola, Florida. He is also survived by three stepdaughters and one stepson from his marriage to Faye Fish, Roxanne Johnson of Jacksonville, Florida, Valerie Lege of Elkton, Florida, Rebecca Meacham of Coast Guard Station Kodiak, Alaska and Robert Fish of Tallahassee, Florida. He was predeceased by his brother Robert A. Dodson and his sister Edith Dodson Lee, both of St. Michaels, Maryland. A memorial service will be held Thursday, August 14, at 5 pm at Franktown United Methodist Church, Franktown, with Pastor Alex Joyner officiating. A second memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, September 6, at 2 pm at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, St. Michaels, Maryland. Interment will be private in Olivet Cemetery, St. Michaels, Maryland. No flowers, please. In lieu thereof, the family welcomes donations to Shore Memorial Hospital, c/o Planned Giving Office, P.O. Box 17, Nassawadox, Virginia 23413, in tribute to Mr. Dodson. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.doughtyfuneralhome.com. Arrangements by Doughty Funeral Home, Exmore.