Jadwiga Dawson

Jadwiga “Hedy” (nee Zielinski) Dawson, 76, passed away on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. She was born November 26, 1947 to parents Jan and Zdzislawa (nee Mazurkiewicz) Zielinski in a displaced person’s camp in Germany. After World War II, in 1951, she and her parents emigrated to the United States. Of Polish descent, she was proud of her heritage and spoke Polish fluently.

Hedy was preceded in death by her beloved husband James “Jim” Robert Dawson and her parents Jan and Zdzislawa. She leaves behind to cherish her memory daughter, Jennifer Dawson; son-in law, John Smith; granddaughter, Emma Smith of Greenville, SC; son, James Dawson and grandchildren Tyler and Kayla Dawson of Marietta, GA; sister-in-law, Marguerite “Mickey” Dawson; brother-in-law Daniel “Dan” Dawson; as well as nieces and nephews.

Hedy and Jim were high school sweethearts who married in 1967. They had an amazing partnership. Jim often spoke of Hedy as the love of his life. After almost 55 years of marriage, you could often see them holding hands.

Hedy’s life and love shone on all those around her. Her loving heart provided a warm and welcoming home for her husband Jim and children Jennifer and Jimmy. She delighted in her grandchildren. Her greatest joy was when she was surrounded by family.

An early riser, she loved her cream and sugar coffee and always had the coffee brewing and ready to go.To Hedy, coffee and shared sweet treats were a way to enjoy time and conversation with family and friends. In her mind, dessert was the best part of any meal. “Eat dessert first!” was her motto.

Hedy loved to travel, seeing different sights and soaking up new places. She was a planner, organizing family excursions near and far. She made things happen. She had a lifelong love of the surf and sand of the beach. Some of her travels with Jim included national parks, Taos, New Mexico and a cruise to Alaska. Her favorite places to stay were cozy, welcoming Bed & Breakfasts. When traveling internationally she journeyed with Jennifer and sister-in-law Mickey to places like British Columbia, Ireland and Germany.

Outside of traveling, reading was one of her passions and mysteries were her favorites. On Sundays in the Fall, she could be found watching football and her favorite team the Dallas Cowboys. Hedy loved the color red. She wore it beautifully and with a bit of sparkle. After high school, Hedy went to Secretarial School. Upon graduation she worked using her skills until her retirement from AT&T.

A dedicated animal lover, she felt a house wasn’t a home without a dog or two. She had a special place in her life for animals in need and supported many organizations with this mission.

Rest in Peace Mom. You are deeply loved and missed.