Claremore, Oklahoma - Adolphus "Ray" Dawson, 88-year-old resident of Claremore, passed away on Friday, September 26, 2025. He was born on July 8th, 1937, in Vinita, Oklahoma to John and Amelia Dawson. From a youthful age, Ray loved the outdoors. He hunted, fished, and played every sport that was available to him. Ray was an All- Conference player in many sports and was even an All -Conference high scorer in basketball. While juggling athletics, Ray was also active in student council and Boys State. After graduating from Vinita High School, Ray continued his education and played football at NEO in Miami, Oklahoma. Ray enlisted in the National Guard while still in High School, and in 1957 he joined the Marines. During his military career he was stationed in California and Hawaii before being honorably discharged in 1961. Ray decided to stay in California and started working at Foster's restaurant where he quickly rose to restaurant manager. He stayed with Foster's for five years and from then on continued to work in the hotel / restaurant industry. Ray met his wife Ahnawake growing up together in Vinita, Oklahoma. They were in the same friend group and spent a lot of time together but never dated. That changed in June of 1970 when Ray proposed to Ahnawake and they quickly got married, and she and their son Seth moved to the California Bay Area. Sacheen was born a couple of years later, and the family built a house in Fremont, California, where they lived until 1980 when the Dawson family packed up and moved back to Vinita, Oklahoma to be closer to family. Ray worked at Shangri- La on Grand Lake for a brief time before he was recruited to be the purchasing manager for a new hotel in downtown Tulsa. The name changed a few times, but Ray retired after 25 years working for both Doubletree Hotels in Tulsa. After Ray retired he loved spending time in his garden and doing home improvement projects, along with fishing, as well as spending time with his grandchildren who all loved their "Papa" very much. Ray was now able to join Ahnawake on mission trips which she was super happy about, and they also traveled to Alaska, Canada, back to California, and took some trips to the East Coast. Ray and Ahnawake were active members at Claremore First Methodist Church. Ray was instrumental in the success of the Rogers County School Supply Program. He used his purchasing skills to minimize the expense of supplies for each child so that more children could be helped. In 2025 about 2500 children were provided with the exact supplies they needed for the school and classroom that they were enrolled in. It was particularly important to Ray that the children began the school year with what they needed, and he believed very strongly in being good stewards with money so that more people could be helped.

Ray was preceded in death by his wife Ahnawake, his parents John and Amelia Dawson, and his sister Adelia Gerenger. The family includes his children, Sacheen Platten and husband Michael of Claremore, Seth Dawson and wife Tina of Aurora, Missouri, a brother in law, Charles Wilson and wife Connie of Charleston, South Carolina, four grandchildren, Spencer and Bailey Dawson, and Preston and Sophia Platten, nieces and nephews David and Kimberly Kascak, Chaz and Kirstin Wilson, Chris Gerenger, Mark Gerenger, and Rich Gerenger Jr, and many, many, cousins.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at the Burkhalter Highsmith Chapel in Vinita.

The graveside service with military honors, will be held Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 10 a.m. at the Fairview Cemetery, in Vinita, with Pastor Ray Crawford officiating.

The celebration of life will be held Thursday, October 2, 2025, at 1PM at Claremore First Methodist Church, 1615 N. Highway 88, Claremore, OK 74017 with Pastor Ray Crawford officiating.

Friends may give to the Rogers County School Supply program in memory of Ray. Go online to

https://claremorefmc.org/tithes-and-offerings

and select "Give," "Tithes & Offerings," "School Supplies," then scroll to the bottom to create a new account.

You may also write a check payable to Claremore First Methodist Church (CFMC) with School Supplies-Ray Dawson on the memo line. Online condolences may be made at www.highsmithfh.com or on the funeral home Facebook page. Arrangements are in the care of the Burckhalter-Highsmith Funeral and Cremation Services of Vinita. "Vinita's only locally family owned and operated funeral home."