Richard Edward Dodson, Sr.

LTC (Ret.) Richard "Rick" Edward Dodson, Sr., 87, of Chester, Virginia, died peacefully at home on December 5, 2024. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Jo; his four children, Ricky, Katie, Kevin, and Anne (Clayton Jones); nine grandchildren, Kaitlyn, Sam, Nathan, Jacob, Isaiah, Lindsay, Zachry, Grace, and Cary; and three great-grandchildren, Parker, Eliana, and Addison.

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Rick was the oldest son of the late Anne and Edward Dodson and greatest big brother to Pat, Midge, Judy, Dan, and Mike. Rick attended St. Joseph High School (1955) and graduated from John Carroll University (1959) in Cleveland, Ohio. Rick began his career in the United States Army in 1962 at Fort Belvoir as a pilot at the ready during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He served in South Korea and was deployed twice to Vietnam, where he served in the 4th Division and 1st Calvary, respectively. Later he served as an aircraft maintenance officer in Texas, commanded the 347th Transportation Company in Hawaii, and finished his active-duty career in Petersburg, Virginia as a Corps Division Chief, retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1982. Rick and Mary Jo loved their time in the Army, so much so that Rick worked as a civilian in Army logistics until 1998.

Rick spent his retirement volunteering, golfing, and traveling. He was a proud member of the Kiwanis Club, of Chester, for over 35 years, serving as president, historian, photographer, newsletter editor, and his favorite job, leading the singing of the national anthem or "God Bless America" at club meetings. He also volunteered for the Hospital Hospitality House (now The Doorways) in Richmond and served as the chair of their annual Gurney Tourney event. An amateur photographer, he developed his own pictures before digital cameras were a thing. He turned his passion into a small side-business selling photographs in the Uptown Gallery and Crossroads Art Center. While his profits never surpassed the cost of his supplies, his photos have brought joy to so many people. Rick was also an avid member of the Chester YMCA, where you could find him and Mary Jo in the pool five days a week, swimming, water-walking, or participating in a competitive game of water volleyball.

A memorial service will be held at the Chester Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home in Chester, Virginia, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 11:00 am, with reception to follow. Family will receive friends at 10:00 am. Rick will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kiwanis Club of Chester or the Chester YMCA.