Iris A. Dawson

Mrs. Iris Ann Dawson, 79, of Elkhart, passed away peacefully at her home in her sleep on Saturday, May 21, 2022 at 9:56 am. She was born on April 5, 1943 in Bradshaw, West Virginia to the late Charles C. and Pearl (Robertson) Roberts. Now, it has been said that lightning isn’t supposed to strike in the same place twice, but that’s exactly what happened when she married her sweetheart Sherman “Bill” Dawson twice. The first time, they got hitched right after Bill returned from Korea but before he went off to Vietnam to serve in the Army on June 3, 1964 in Bradshaw. The second time came on April 4, 2013 in Elkhart, and rumor has it that she just loved her Billy so much that they just had to get married again. Bill survives Iris at home and misses her smiling face.

Along with Bill, Iris is survived by her son Timothy (Rena Randolph) Dawson of Edwardsburg, Michigan; daughters Rhonda (Mark) Quinn of Jackson, Tennessee and Melinda (Steve) Scott of Elkhart; brothers Chris (Ruth), Carl (Peggy) and Charles “Tiny” (Bonnie) Roberts, all of Elkhart; sisters Nyta (Dave) Tilford, Mary Roberts, Jackie Roberts and Carol Whitman, all from Elkhart, grandsons Jamey and Brent Futrell II, Anthony and Andrew Coleman and Joshua, David and Zachary Dawson; seventeen great grandchildren and a loving host of extended family, friends and church family. Preceding Iris in death are brothers Luther, Leonard, James, Darryl and Sonny Roberts and sisters Louise Roberts, Sonja Rose and Phyllis Whitman.

Iris’ family is hosting a memorial gathering and celebration of her life all of Iris’ friends and family at 6:00 pm at That Church On The Rise, 28082 CR 4, Elkhart on Wednesday, May 25, 2022. Guests attending will be received at the church as early as 5:30 pm, and a dinner will be held there immediately following the celebration. Pastor Jason Moore will officiate and Billings Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Elkhart have been handling Iris’ arrangements.  

Iris worked in healthcare and home healthcare for over 16 years. She was always considered a “people person” and enjoyed the love and comfort of being around others. And needless to say, those “others” certainly enjoyed Iris’ company as well, as Iris was always so full of life and energy that she imparted that energy to others.

Iris seemed to channel her compassion and care for others through being a member of the Council on Aging, a volunteer of Elkhart’s Faith Mission, and being on their Ladies’ Auxiliary. She had always been some type of volunteer for the needy for nearly a decade.

She was also a proud and active member of That Church On The Rise on CR 4 and had been a member there ever since it was the Elkhart Church of God. She served regularly as a greeter and volunteered there whenever she could. Her unstoppable energy allowed her to accomplish many things. At home, she would enjoy tending to her wildflowers and feeding her songbirds

 Friends and family wishing to make a donation in Iris’ memory may do so by donating to the Faith Mission in Elkhart. Additionally, please be sure to thoroughly browse Iris’ obit page, as you are able to leave condolences and memories, post photographs on her memory wall, and order other funerary items in regard to the family.

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