Ruth Dawson, 93, of Westlake passed away in her home
surrounded by her family on Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019.
She was a resident of Westlake for 65 years, and was a native of Bristow, Okla. Ruth Hedy (Polm) Dawson was born to James Monroe and Edna (Reinhart) Polm on Feb. 8, 1925. She and her twin
brother, Rufus Henry “Buck,” were the youngest of eight children. She was educated at the Oak Grove Consolidated School south of Bristow, was salutatorian of her eighth-grade class and later earned her high school diploma.
On Nov. 30,
1942, she married Jack Wade Dawson at Bristow. They lived in Stroud and Ponca City, Okla., before Continental Oil Company transferred Jack to their Westlake, La., refinery in 1953. They built a house in Westlake and moved there from Maplewood in
1954. After celebrating 70 years of marriage Jack passed away Jan. 13, 2013.
During their children’s childhood, Ruth was a homeroom mother, Camp Fire leader, Cub Scout Den mother, taught VBS at First Baptist Church of Westlake and
volunteered and served in many other ways in their children’s lives.
As their children reached adulthood, she and several friends became interested in ceramics, and she was on a trophy-winning bowling team. She and Jack began camping first
in a Shasta travel trailer and progressed from travel trailers to motorhomes. They traveled through most of the United States with family members and friends, or just the two of them. They were members of the Jean Lafitte chapter of the Good Sam
Clubs, which was very active at that time.
Ruth enjoyed gardening and yard work, and their home was chosen several times by the Westlake Garden Club as Home and Yard of the Month. The bounties of their gardens and fruit trees were shared
with their friends and neighbors. She was also known for her cooking, baking and canning. Her grandchildren knew there would be something to eat at Grandma Dawson’s house no matter what time of day they visited. Thanksgiving and Christmas were the
most special holidays from their children’s and grandchildren’s childhoods to adulthood.
Ruth was a Christian and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Westlake.
Ruth is survived by three children and their spouses, Wanda
and Jim Keathly of Dallas, Texas, Linda and Jimmy Gill of Sulphur, and Billy and Elaine (Koonce) Dawson of Westlake; seven grandchildren, Jimmie (Jeni) Keathly, Christopher (Lisa) Keathly, Amy (Brian) Gill-Horton, Charles (Michele) Gill, Catherine
Gill, Julie (Brad) Gill-Arton and Amanda Dawson; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Jack Dawson; her parents; four brothers Odell Frederick, Charlie Isaac, Harry Monroe “Bill” and Rufus Henry “Buck” Polm;
and three sisters, Hazel Isabell Polm, Violet Marie Reed and Florence Ruth Moore.
Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, at Hixson Funeral Home of Westlake. Visitation will resume at 8 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. . Funeral services
will be at 10 a.m., with Dr. Christopher Keathly officiating. Burial will be at Westlake Memorial Cemetery.