Ex-civic leader’s rich life (From Worcester News)

Ex-civic leader’s rich life

7:40pm Monday 10th September 2012 in News

A FORMER district councillor and a most loving and loyal husband, father and grandfather has died.

Brian Dawson, of Eckington, near Pershore, died at home.

He is survived by his wife Muriel, his children Chris, Anne and Jane, and his grandchildren Alice, Penny, Matthew, Jessica and Hannah.

Born in Bradford on February 18, 1928, Mr Dawson relocated with his family to south Wales at the age of three and attended Newport High School for Boys. He went on to read French, German and English at Bristol University and was successful with the athletics team.

He served as an officer in the Intelligence Corps of the RAF while based in Germany and took part in the Berlin air lift.

His first job was with printing and accounts firm Kalamazoo, Birmingham. From there he represented the export department travelling to Kenya, Sri Lanka and India where he learned to play bridge.

He played rugby for a team of British ex-pats and after an injury ended his rugby playing days, he learned to play golf.

Home from his travels in February 1958, he met and married Muriel. Their first home was in Rubery, Birmingham, where a son and two daughters were born.

Mr Dawson later joined Kidderminster Carpets as export sales director and continued to travel across the world being particularly successful in Japan where his counterparts enjoyed his gifts of golf balls and whiskey.

He accepted a job in Sydney in 1969 and the family moved to Australia for three years before moving back to England and later settling in Great Comberton, near Pershore.

In 1978 Mr Dawson was presented with the Queen’s Award for Services to Export and attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace. The family moved to Eckington when he took early retirement and he was a founder member of the Eckington Bridge Club.

Mr Dawson was also a member of the church PCC, serving as secretary and treasurer and helped organise three historical street fairs in the village to raise church funds.

He was the district councillor for Eckington, Defford and Besford serving on the planning and finance committees. His funeral was held at the end of August in Holy Trinity Church, Eckington.