Dawson White

Dawson White

Col. (Ret.) Dawson Neil White, 87, passed away Oct. 13, 2018 at Park Pointe Village in Rock Hill.

He was born May 5, 1931 in Clover to the late Rupert Kelly White and Magnolia Stewart White. He spent his childhood in Clover, where he became an Eagle Scout and graduated from Clover High School in 1949.

He was predeceased three years ago by his devoted wife of 61 years, Patty, who shared a lifetime of love, companionship and adventure with him.

Dawson graduated from Clemson College in 1954, earning a bachelor’s degree in textile engineering and entering the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant. After completing pilot training, he spent 25 years flying the C-124 Globemaster and the C-141 Starlifter as part of the Military Airlift Command (MAC).

Along the way, he accumulated approximately 10,000 hours of flying time. His travels included flying over all the oceans to all seven continents and many of the islands in between. He flew over both the North and South Poles and participated in Operation Deep Freeze, a series of exploratory and research missions to Antarctica, in the late 1950s. During a 1969-70 tour in the Vietnam War, he flew the C-7 Caribou on 167 combat missions.

His assignments took him to MAC bases across the United States and Europe, and in addition to flying, he progressed to the position of director of aerospace maintenance before retiring as a full colonel in 1979.

During his military career, he received numerous decorations and awards, including the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Air Medal.

After his military retirement, he worked 13 more years as a quality assurance manager for industrial safety products in the civilian sector. He spent his retirement years in the Clover and Gastonia, N.C., areas, where he enjoyed spending time with his extended family, multitude of friends, and many golfing buddies. A dedicated golfer throughout his life, he was still playing twice a week until the final two months of his life.

Dawson’s engaging and gregarious manner was always evident. He loved social occasions, sharing a laugh and a cocktail, telling a story, greeting old friends and meeting new ones. He did everything with Patty as a team, from moving around the globe to raising a family to taking care of each other as they grew old together. He did everything with a sense of mission and purpose. He solved problems. He drove too fast. He cheered for the Clemson Tigers. He was meticulously organized. He told you the best way to do things.

And he never let anybody see him sweat. Whenever life presented him with a short, unprepared airstrip, he was ready to land the plane every time.

Dawson loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren with true affection. He supported their life decisions, their achievements, and their activities every step of the way. Not much gave him more pleasure than watching his grandsons play sports.


He is survived by his daughter Denise Holland of Fort Mill and his son Neil White (Jana) of Columbia; his four grandchildren, Kelly Holland of Fort Mill, Brandy Powers (Steve) of Fort Mill, Cameron White (Molly) of Greenville, and Casey White of Shelby, N.C.; and his six great-grandchildren, Jackson Kopasz, Lydia Powers, Max Powers, Connor White, Maddie White and Cooper White.

One of three high-spirited boys growing up, he also is survived by his younger brother Dean White (Grace) of Clover. He was predeceased by his older brother Don (Carolyn) of Greenville.

He summed up his life simply: “But for the grace of God and a wonderful wife, I would have never made it. Thanks be to both.”

The family will receive friends Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Bratton Funeral Home in York. A memorial service will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. in the chapel of Bratton Funeral Home. Rev. Sally Queen of Myers Memorial Methodist Church in Gastonia will officiate. Burial will be at Woodside Cemetery in Clover, SC following the memorial service.

The family salutes his many military brothers-in-arms over the years, his various golf groups, and his tight-knit relatives for all the joy and camaraderie they gave him. He held memberships with the Military Officers Association of America, American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Patty to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10001. Donations also can be made to Hospice and Community Care, P.O. Box 993, Rock Hill, S.C. 29731.

Online condolences may be made to the family at www.brattonfuneralhome.com.

Bratton Funeral Home in York is serving the White family.