Alfred Dawson Sr.

Omaha - Alfred Dawson, Sr. passed away peacefully on January 29, 2026 in the comfort of his home and having family say their last farewell to him. It was fitting that his oldest grandson, Aaron, read bible passages to him before he passed.

He was loved beyond measure and will be deeply missed by so many people who knew him. He has left an enormous hole in their hearts. He was placed in hospice three weeks earlier as his health had plateaued and then very quickly declined. It was evident that he was ready to leave his earthly home, so God showed mercy upon him and granted him his wish.

Alfred or Al to many of his friends, was a man of great faith. He loved God with all his heart and led by example. He was strong in his convictions and made sure his children knew and felt God’s love. He was such a humble and modest servant of God and serving him brought him immense joy. After he retired from work for the second time (JR Simplot potato company), he spent part of his time visiting people and volunteering at his church. He was very generous with his time and with whatever he had. He LOVED to help others. He believed a person received so much more from giving than receiving.

He had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh. It was fun teasing him and he loved teasing others, as well. He felt laughter was indeed the best medicine! He loved to sing and had such a deep, beautiful voice. It was music to many ears to hear him sing, as it came from his soul. Not hearing that voice every day will be difficult.

He was innovative in coming up with solutions to problems, extremely hardworking, and believed in giving 110% to anything he worked on. He was a great listener and gave wise advice, which we will miss. He didn’t believe in excuses and encouraged us to get out there “and shake them bushes” for opportunities. He told us we wouldn’t know the outcome if we didn’t try and we shouldn’t be afraid of failure.

He was a one-of-a-kind father and husband. He was the patriarch and rock of the family. He would regularly take his children to various places and was active in their lives. Weekly devotions were a must and reading and discussing the scriptures was one of his favorite past times. He was a devoted husband to Sue, whom he met while stationed in South Korea. She was the love of his life and he mourned her deeply when she passed unexpectedly on October 20, 2022.

He loved his grandchildren and took delight when his great-granddaughter, Adamma, was born. He always had a soft spot for his granddaughters (just ask Amara)! There are numerous memories and pictures of him taking them to places and doing things with them, such as going to playgrounds or visiting fun attractions. It was important to him that they be physically active and learn. Education was extremely important to him since he had dropped out of high school; however, he was able to receive his GED in the military.

He was born in Charleston, South Carolina to Nathaniel Dawson and Albertha (Wilson) Dawson on October 15, 1936. Life was difficult for him since his mother passed away when he was very young. After her death, his two younger siblings were raised in New York while he and his oldest brother stayed in South Carolina. There were no opportunities for him in the segregated south, so he saw the Air Force as a way to create a better life. He ended up making a career out of it and traveled to numerous countries and cities. He was even stationed in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was proud of serving his country and dedicated 23 years of his life to it.

It was on one of his tours that he met I Sun (Sue) Chang and he knew he had found his lifelong partner! They shared over 55 years together and wished they could have shared even more. His last assignment was at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, where they raised their two children, Alfred and Albertha and became second parents to Aleksandra (Nowok) Tallier, whom she lovingly considered her American parents. They lived in Grand Forks for 45 years and then moved to Omaha in 2018. They wanted to spend the remainder of their lives with their children and grandchildren.

He was a member of the Golden Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church in Bellevue, NE and before moving to Omaha, of the Grand Forks Seventh-day Adventist Church in Grand Forks, ND.

Alfred is survived by his children in Omaha, NE: Alfred Jr (Katarzyna/Kasia) Dawson, Albertha (Patrick) Schmid, and Aleksandra Tallier in Decorah, IA; his grandchildren, Emilie (Prince) Chukwuma, Aaron, Aiden & Amara Dawson, Anna, Alina, & William Tallier; great-granddaughter, Adamma Chukwuma; special family members, Maria and Wieslaw Swiostek; his precious Yorkies: Dakota, Rose, Mi-Na, and Karma (who continue to look for him); his brother Frank (Carolyn) Dawson in NY, and several other family and friends across the US. He was proceeded in death by his loving wife, I Sun (Sue) Dawson, his oldest brother, Leon (Lee) Dawson, his sister, Gertrude (Gertie) Dawson and his parents, Nathaniel and Albertha Dawson.

Visitation Thursday 10:00 - 11:00 AM at Roeder Mortuary. Funeral Service 11:00 AM Thursday (2/5/26) at Roeder Mortuary. Interment Omaha National Cemetery.

Family and friends are welcome to have lunch in celebration of him at his house after the service. The burial will be at 1:30 p.m. at the Omaha National Cemetery and is open to anyone who would like to attend.

Roeder Mortuary 11710 Standing Stone - Gretna, NE - 402-332-0090 www.RoederMortuary.com