Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois Resided In: Stanton, Iowa formerly Bellevue, Nebraska Garth Clark Dawson, age 88, passed away Thursday, January 20, 2022, at Accura Healthcare of Stanton, Iowa. Wide and varied are Garth's careers, skills, interests, and accomplishments; parsing his full life down to a capsule when a book would more aptly dignify it, must suffice with highlights. Garth was born August 26, 1933, in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Harold Charles and Wanda (Brydon) Dawson. The family moved to Nebraska when Garth was one year old. He was raised in the Royal, Nebraska area and graduated from nearby Orchard High School. After graduation, Garth attended Wayne State briefly, before returning to his Chicago birthplace where his interest in singing led him to Rita Therese Mazur, when they shared the same vocal instructor. The two were united in marriage on March 28, 1953, in Chicago, where their four children were born. Garth made his way driving cab and bus before starting a career in law enforcement, beginning as a patrolman for the Chicago Police Department and advancing to detective. Garth's career brought him back to Nebraska where he became Chief of Police¬¬—first, in Wayne, and later, Norfolk. Garth continued in law enforcement working in the Lincoln state capital with the Nebraska Governor's Crime Commission in the Uniform Crime Reporting Division. At the conclusion of this two-year project, Garth's career shifted to teaching, first as professor of Criminal Justice at University of Nebraska at Omaha (where he had also obtained his under graduate degree in Criminal Justice and post grad in Public Administration), then extending to a Department of Defense civilian teaching position on American Air Force bases in England. Upon returning, Garth resumed Uniform Crime Reporting in Loveland, Colorado, where his diverse skills were employed in his "spare" time, single handedly building his own home. Leaving it behind, Garth's appetite for adventure took him and his wife, Rita, to Germany where he resumed DOD teaching through the University of Maryland. From there Garth's career shifted to sales—from real estate, to employment recruiting with his son, Todd, to Encyclopedia Britannica, which culminated to regional management positions in California, Texas, and Nebraska. His entrepreneurial spirit returned him to his roots where he raised ostrich on the family farm in Royal, Nebraska. Garth's life took an abrupt turn when his wife of 41 years unexpectedly passed away. In 1995, Garth remarried, and he and his wife, Bonnie Durham, joined the Peace Corp, accepting an assignment in Poland teaching at the University of Krakow. Enjoying travel, they retired, and for several years visited and lived in multiple countries. Upon returning to the states, three years of houseboat living in St. Petersburg, Florida became the new unconventional life. Restless to move on, the lifelong learners dropped anchor next in Wilmington, allured by the free educational opportunities for seniors at nearby University of Delaware, where at age 77, Garth earned an additional master's degree. Somewhere amid the working and frequent moving, Garth managed to find time for his other skills and hobbies, having built among many things, a violin, a boat, a home and various additions, and an aircraft, coinciding with a previously earned pilot's license. For posterity he wrote an autobiography, Here's Fifty, dedicated to his children, after which he continued in writing groups. He was an avid Chicago Cubs fan and loved playing softball and baseball, at one time belonging to the Delaware Senior Baseball League which won multiple Senior Olympic championships. Forever providing a musical home, Garth sang in several choirs, including the Papillion Senior Singers, and in earlier days performed in "Guys and Dolls" in community theater. He was preceded in death by his wives: Rita and Bonnie; and son, Mark. Survivors include his children: Todd Dawson and wife Geri of Omaha, Nebraska; Christina Damato and husband Mike of Fleming Island, Florida; and Carrie Owen and husband Cliff of Red Oak, Iowa; 10 grandchildren: Matthew Dawson and wife Julissa of Omaha; Michael Dawson and wife Anna of Omaha; Marcus Dawson and wife Ashley of Omaha; Kathryn Miller of Alcoa, Tennessee; Anna Beard and husband Joe of Maryville, Tennessee; Ryan Miller of Omaha; Olivia Nickman and husband Jasen of Oxnard, California; brothers Nathanael and Tim Carney of South Carolina; Caleb Carney of Oregon; 16 great grandchildren; brother-in-law: Ed Mazur of Florida; and many other relatives and friends. There will be a private family graveside service at the Royal Cemetery.