Norman B. Dawson, age 89, passed away on January 3, 2024 at Lakeview Village in Lenexa, Kansas. Norman was born November 7, 1934 at a birthing center in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, to Bertha E. Hawkins and George T. Dawson. His family lived in Elmdale, Kansas, in the heart of the Flint Hills, until the great flood of 1951. Due to flood damage, the family of 7 moved a few miles outside of Elmdale to Clover Cliff Ranch, which was being managed by Norman's father.  Norman attended a four-room grade school through eighth grade, and then attended Elmdale Rural High School from 1948 to 1952. He was always very proud of his heritage, dating back to when his great grandfather came to Kansas and homesteaded a piece of land near Clements, Kansas. That farm is still in the family, managed by his son, David, and farmed by tenant farmers.

Over the years, Norman entertained many people with his stories about growing up in a small farming community, where he attended high school with 7 students in his graduating class, and a total of 28 students. He played on his high school 6-man football team and they won the State Championship his senior year.

Norman met his wife of 67 years, Nancy Roberts Dawson, at a sorority rush party at Kansas State University. Norman always liked to tell people that Nancy was a "blind date". They were married June 3, 1956 at First United Methodist Church in Neodesha, Kansas. Norman and Nancy shared three wonderful children: Cheryl, David, and Cindy; 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grand children.

Norman graduated from Kansas State University in 1956 with a B.S. in Business and Accounting. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity, and served as Treasurer and President. He was commissioned a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army through the ROTC Program with orders to report to Ft. Bliss in El Paso, TX, in April of 1957. Following his training as a forward observer, he was assigned to Ft. George Meade in Laurel, MD.

Norman always wanted to be a banker, just like his father and grandfather. He started his career as a teller at Merchants National Bank in Topeka. Following completion of active military duty in 1959, he was hired by Goodland State Bank in Goodland, KS and served as Senior Vice President until 1962.

In 1962, a group of Leavenworth businessmen purchased Manufacturers State Bank and hired Norman as President.  During his leadership he was charged with making this a profitable bank which became the leading bank in Leavenworth. Manufacturers State Bank eventually merged with Commerce Bank in Kansas City. Norman worked as CEO until his retirement in 1998, and he remained on the board of directors for 24 years.

Norman felt strongly that building a good business and being involved in community life went hand in hand. He lived that philosophy through being involved in many local civic organizations. These included: Leavenworth Board of Education (10 years, four as President), Leavenworth United Way Board of Directors (20 years), Masonic Organizations, Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce (President 1964), Leavenworth County Extension Council and Executive Board, First United Methodist Church (Treasurer), Leavenworth Water Board (10 years), Cushing Memorial Hospital Foundation (26 years), Leavenworth Community Center Executive Committee Chairman, Leavenworth Area Development Board of Directors, Advisory Director to "The Homestead" assisted living facility, Meals on Wheels Volunteer (18 years), Board of Directors Armed Forces Insurance Company (8 years), and Mt. Muncie Cemetery Board.

In 1963, he was named Young Man of the Year by the Leavenworth Junior Chamber of Commerce, and in 1967 the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce named him Citizen of the Year. In 2015, St. Luke's Cushing Hospital Foundation held a community gala to honor him for his many years of community service. During his time as President of the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, he initiated the annual 4-H Achievement Banquet. In 2020, he was awarded the Leavenworth Mayor's Award for Community Service.

At the state level, he was involved in the Kansas Bankers Association Board of Governors, Kansas Supreme Court Nominating Commission, YMCA Camp Wood Board of Directors, Kansas Bankers Association Bank PAC Committee, and member of the Pooled Money Investment Board for the State of Kansas.

In his free time, Norman loved to travel with Nancy and work in his garden. For over 50 years, he enjoyed fishing weekends in Chase County with many friends, staying in the rustic cabin at the farm and fishing in ponds and rivers throughout Chase County. In retirement, Norman and Nancy purchased a home on Table Rock Lake in Kimberling City, Missouri, and enjoyed boating, water skiing and swimming with family and friends.

Survivors include: wife, Nancy Dawson; sisters Sylvia Poore, Helen Long, and Karin Link; children Cheryl (Randy) Scott, David (Lynda) Dawson, and Cynthia (Jay) Burress; grandchildren Kathryn (John) Rhoads, Ryan (Amanda) Dawson, Chris (Lauren) Dawson, Andrew (Lindsay) Scott, Annie (Houston) McConnell, Steven Scott, Ellie Burress, and Betsy Burress; great-grandchildren Will Dawson, Claire Dawson, Sylvie Rhoads, Nora Scott, Vera Rhoads, Gavin Dawson, Arlo Scott, and Warren Rhoads. Norman was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Harold.

Celebration of Life service will be held at 11AM on Friday, January 12, 2024 at Leavenworth First United Methodist Church, 422 Chestnut Leavenworth, KS 66048. Following the service everyone is invited to stay for visitation and lunch.  A private family graveside service will precede the Celebration of Life.The family would like to thank all our friends for their prayers and support during this time.  We also appreciate the tender care provided to Norman by Lakeview Village Care Center this past year.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Camp Wood https://campwood.org/donate/ ; Leavenworth First United Methodist Church 422 Chestnut Leavenworth, KS 66048; or Lakeview Village Foundation https://www.lakeviewvillage.org/foundation/

To watch the service live see below:

Fumclvks.org/live

youtube.com/channel/UCABAqcaq7RnOUqW_-A8M6bA/live

https://www.facebook.com/LeavenworthFirstUMC/live