Darrell N. Dawson

Memorial Services for Darrell Neil Dawson, age 77, of Madison, will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison.  Reverend Todd Kollbaum will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at the church and burial will be at a later date. 

Darrell passed away Friday, March 31, 2023 at St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation and Care Center in Norfolk.

Darrell was born November 11, 1945 in Chadron, Nebraska to Evert Dawson and Elayne (Carr) Castillo. He was raised on a ranch in Springview, Nebraska, by his grandparents George H. R. and Josephine (Dillon) Carr, whom he lovingly regarded as his true parents.

Darrell attended high school in Springview, Nebraska, graduating from Keya Paha County High School in 1963.  After graduation he went to Denver for mechanic school and also rodeoed, riding bulls and broncs. He was drafted into the U.S. Navy in 1965, serving in Vietnam on the USS Forrestal. Upon his discharge in October, 1967, he reunited with and proposed to his high school sweetheart, Margo Nilson.  They were married two months later on December 29 in Gregory, South Dakota.

Darrell loved ranching. He and Margo bought their ranch in 1972. His daughter and son were born while living there. Because of an accident, he was forced to change his occupation.

He went back to school, and was certified as a Medical Laboratory Technician from Mid Plains Community College in 1978. He received his Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Chadron State College in 1980. He worked as a Hospital Administrator in Bassett, Nebraska and in 1986 moved to Madison and worked as the City Administrator. He served as an EMT and an EMT Instructor in Madison. He was awarded Madison EMT of the Year in 1989.

Darrell was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He was baptized at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Platte, Nebraska, and was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Burton, Nebraska.

 He loved woodworking and working with leather, and was active in the American Legion for over 50 years.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Margo Ann; children Lynn Dawson Miller of Madison, Grant Darrell and Sarah Amber Dawson of Omaha; granddaughter Abigail Lynn Miller of Columbia, Missouri; sister Beverly Ann Medeiros of Bullhead City, Arizona; and half-siblings Judi (Ernie) Drouin of Ventura, California, Pamela (Bill) Lehtonen of Ventura, California, and John David Castillo.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

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