S.M. Dodson

S.M. Sab Dodson

Graveside services for S.M. Dodson will be conducted at 11 am, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at South Park Cemetery with Harold Hobson presiding. Local Veterans Honor Guard will perform military rites. Honorary Pall Bearers are John Gilmore, Johnny Barajas, Doug Whitney, W.H Billy Suggs, John Baylor, Bob Kille and Bob Jenkins.
Sab passed away at Villa Del Rey in Roswell, N.M on Friday, May 27, 2011.
Sab was born in Timbo, Arkansas on March 29, 1925. He was the eighth child of George W. and Cenia Powell Dodson.
Preceding him in death were both his parents, two brothers, Aruis and Jim and his sisters, Georgia Crymes, Zelda Furlow, Edith Brown, Irene Swonke, and Evelyn Yancey.
Survivors include his wife Maurine of the home. Daughter Janet Douglas, her husband Donald, and their sons Whitney and Robert of Williamsburg, V.A, his daughter Alice Stiles and her husband Larry of Roswell and their children Alison, Julie and Jacob, his son Jerome Dodson and his wife Debbie, and their daughters, Mellisa and Jamie of Las Cruces, and son James M. Dodson of Roswell, also 14 great grandchildren.
Sab was reared and received his schooling in Plummerville, AR, later moving to McCrory, AR where he was engaged in farming with his father and brother Jim.
Sab was a rural letter carrier prior to military service. He served in the U.S. Army and transferred to the Army Air Corps in 1946 where he was assigned to the 509th Bomb Group, Roswell Army Air Field. The 509th was the final atomic strike force.
He was a member of the Task Force that dropped the first hydrogen bomb at Bikini Island in 1952.
Separating from the Air Force in 1953 with the grade of MLSGT, he entered into private business, owning and operating the Castle Egg Farm North of Dexter for 31 years.
Sab and fellow Airman, Milton Sprouse of Escondido, C.A. were instrumental in obtaining a 110 scale model of one of the original B29 Atom Bombers that hangs in the Local Air Terminal today. The Roswell Army Air FieldWalker Air Force Base Veterans association presented this plane as a gift to the City of Roswell in April, 2003 to leave a legacy to the B29 and, in recognition of its service during war and peace. This replica is Daves Dream a sister ship to Enola Gay and Bocks Car. A brief history of its service is on display in the terminal.
Sab was a member of the Dexter and East Grand Plains Lions Clubs for 48 years, attaining life membership and receiving Lionisms highest achievement award, a Melvin Jones Fellow. He was also a life member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 969 of Roswell.
Memorial contributions may be made in Sabs name to Lions International Sight Conservation Fund through any Lions Club, or to Elks National Foundation through the local Elks Lodge, or Cowboy Bell Scholarship of the First United Methodist Church of Roswell, 200 North Pennsylvania, Roswell, NM 88201.

Visitation

Ballard Funeral Home
910 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Saturday, May 28, 2011
9:00am 7:00pm

Service

Graveside

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
10:00am

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203