Extracted from the McComb Enterprise-Journal (McComb, MS)
Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Maxine D. VonDrasek

Maxine Dawson VonDrasek, 88, died July 7, 2008, at Liberty Community Living Center, after a lengthy illness.

Visitation is 10 a.m. Thursday at Brown Funeral Home in Gloster until services there at 2 p.m. Nieces and nephews will officiate, and burial will be in New Hope Methodist Protestant Church in Gloster.

Mrs. VonDrasek was born July 12, 1919, in Amite County, the sixth child of Luther Cleveland Dawson and Allie Bateman Dawson.

After finishing high school at Oxford, she taught school at Gillsburg and Oxford. She married Victor Vincent VonDrasek April 28, 1946. They met at Gillsburg while Vic was on duty with the U.S. Air Force. At the end of his military service he returned to Amite County and they were married at New Hope Methodist Protestant Church. They lived in Orifino, Idaho, until 1960, when Vic became ill and they moved to Horn Lake. After her husband's death, Mrs. VonDrasek continued to live in Horn Lake until March 2008.

Mrs. VonDrasek was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Victor; and siblings, Annie Belle Crum, Lula Estelle Dawson, Elsie Marie Dawson, Thomas James Dawson, Roddis Harold Dawson, the Rev. Luther Carlos Dawson, Tressie McKey and Willis Fredrick Dawson.

Survivors include a sister, Florence Byrd of Petal; three brothers and two sisters-in-law, Lamottis Dawson of Central, La., Loyd E. and Reta Dawson of Horn Lake and Nelson L. and Elaine Dawson of Liberty; three sisters-in-law, Bobbie Dawson Slay of Liberty, Eva Miller Dawson of Jayess and Opal Caston Dawson of Duncanville, Texas; 12 nieces and 17 nephews, including those she was especially close to who were reared near her, Michael and Peggy Dawson of Horn Lake, Tim and Peggy Dawson of Madison, Kay Dawson Horner and Perry of Cleveland, Tenn., and Eric Dawson of Milwaukee.