I was blessed to have Eric E. Dawson as my first employer in the legal profession. It was 1983 with the Legislature of the Virgin Islands. I was straight out of law school. Yes, back in those days we had to invest a year prior to practicing law, so I taught Virgin Islands history at All Saints Cathedral School on St. Thomas. Eric as Chief Legislative Counsel to the 15th Legislature of the Virgin Islands took a chance on me and taught me valuable lessons that I carry with me today - helping others; being a good listener; always maintain a sense of humor; in showing respect for others - one receives respect; keep improving.

My wife, Jeni Smith, joins me in offering our deepest sympathy to Eric's wife and family. Hopefully, you will find comfort in your many wonderful memories, as well as the love and kindness of family and friends during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Eric E. Dawson holds a special place in Virgin Islands history. He will not be forgotten, but will continue to serve as an example for us to follow.

May he rest in eternal peace,

Tom Bolt

Dear Family and Friends,

With the Deepest Condolences to the family members of the late Eric E. Dawson, Esq. May he rest in eternal peace and tranquility.

Peace and Love,
Arthur C. Petersen, Jr., Ph.D.
St. Croix, Virgin Islands of the United States

A man of God that has been my mentor and motivator. I attribute most of my greatest achievements, from his encouraging words which  guided me to tremendous success throughout my life.
 One of my hearfelt memories throughout my military career was was due to his positive attitude and attention to detail.  A man who set the bar and stakes higher than I ever imagined.  His drive motivated me to be the man that I am today.
Rest in peace uncle Eric.



Your nephew- Wayne

To Betty Dawson and Family:

I, along with my family wish to convey our sincere condolences on the passing of your beloved Eric.

Eric touched the lives of many who had the opportunity to know him and he will truly be missed.

May each of you find the strength and comfort that only God can give in the days to come and even though Eric is no longer with us, the love that you all shared and the happy memories will remain forever in your hearts and fondest of thoughts.

Sincerely,
Violet Vanterpool
and Family

A TRIBUTE TO OUR CLASSMATES

Dear Betty,

The members of the Charlotte Amalie High School (CAHS) Class of 1955 express our love and great sense of loss for both of our classmates — you and your recently departed husband, Eric E. Dawson. We feel fortunate to have had both of you as our high school classmates, and some of us, depending on our area of residence on St. Thomas, had one or the other of you also as elementary school classmates.

Our high school years were both challenging and enjoyable. We had to meet the academic demands of teachers such as Elmo Adams, Lillian Benjamin, Amadeo Francis, Rehenia Gabriel, Enez Harvey, Eudora Kean, and Ruth Thomas, and they prepared us well. Eric was always a well-behaved and serious student. However, we also had great fun playing games or relaxing on the seaside campus of CAHS, which was then at the present site of the V.I. Legislature's Capitol Building. We also attended plays and evening parties in the school's auditorium, which is now the site of the main chamber of the Legislature.

In March of our senior year, the school was moved to the newly completed complex at Sugar Estate, and thus our class made history by being the first to graduate in June, 1955, from the present CAHS. In common with several other members of our class, after graduation Eric enlisted in military service and served for several years. He next studied business and public administration at New York University. Interestingly, on returning home with his degree, Eric ended up working at our original high school, which had become the home of the V.I. Legislature. During the late 1960s, he was the Executive Secretary of the Legislature, and in the 1970s and 80s, he was a senator for four terms in the Legislature.  Then, after going to law school, he practiced law for a time, before being the Commissioner of Commerce in the late 80s and early 90s in the Farrelly administration.

Even with demanding jobs in the V.I. and federal governments, Eric also answered a special call to serve God. He became a deacon in the Anglican Church in the 1970s and then later attended theological seminary. Obviously, Eric's interests were broad and deep. Thus, even after the family moved to the mainland, Eric continued to have a great concern about the development and cultural history of the Virgin Islands, particularly the Down Street area where he had grown up. That concern led to his insightful book, Downstreet, St. Thomas and Beyond, which was published in 2011.

Betty, may you be comforted in knowing that you and Eric, in your careers and in your personal lives, have made the Virgin Islands, your relatives, and your classmates proud. You and Eric were happily married for 50 years, and you have been loving and attentive parents. You have also been very loyal and steadfast members of our high school class. Please know that you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers, and please feel free to let us know of any way in which we may be of assistance to you. May God receive Eric into His eternal peace, and keep you and your family in His loving care.
                                 
With love, the CAHS Class of 1955

Tribute in Memory of Uncle Eric Dawson

Words are definitely inadequate to express the deep sense of loss that we feel as we mourn the passing of my dear Uncle – Eric Dawson, Sr. In many ways and on many occasions he was much more than a loving uncle to me and my siblings, he was a mentor, adviser, role model, and a father figure. Whenever we needed him, he was always there for us. We thank Almighty God for placing Uncle Eric in our lives, but now that his work is finished, may he rest in eternal peace. He will be forever missed.

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalm 116:15

Your Nephew and his Wife
Louis and Algem Petersen

Tribute from Bernice Turnbull, and Family

To the family of Eric Dawson, how thankful I am to have shared a wonderful relationship with my cousin. We made many calls to each other and talk about family. He will asked about my children calling each child by name and asking what they were doing with their lives. I would ask about his wife Betty and the children and he would often respond that he wish our children could meet each other.
He then would ask about people at home who he knew and read about in our local news paper. Eric kept up to date with all that was happening at home. Oh, he would ask about his sisters when last we spoke or saw each other, and about his cousins, Eunice, Rhudel, and the rest of the family.
We then would go on to talk about local politics of which he kept up with, being I suppose he served as a senator while living in St Thomas . Eric loved and served his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and was proud to do so, He would invite us to the All Saints Cathedral where he served to witness any service that he deemed special for his family to attend. Take comfort in knowing that he is resting in the arms of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2nd Corinthians 5:8 reminds us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. May the memories you made with him live on in your hearts forever.
From Bernice Turnbull, and Family

TRIBUTE: "TO: MRS. BETTY DAWSON & FAMILY; THE PETERSEN AND FAULKNER FAMILY"

The entire family circle of Forbes Cills and Johnson Families extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to all family members, and particularly the wife, children, grandchildren and siblings, on the passing of our dearly beloved Man of God and Man of Distinction, Honorable Eric Dawson.

In times such as these, words often seem totally inadequate but be rest assured that you will find comfort in knowing that he will live on in each and every one of you. The way he lived his life, professionally, spiritually and meticulously speaks volumes with regards to the values he instilled in his children.

His physical presence will definitely be sorely missed but he will forever be in the hearts, minds and spirit of all his family and friends.

May you find solace in the countless precious moments shared over decades. Now that his physical suffering is over, may his soul rest in eternal peace!

We will continue to keep the family in our prayers.

Sincerely,

Corinne E. Forbes, President
FORBES CILLS JOHNSON FAMILY REUNION, INC.

To the Family of Eric Dawson, We share in your loss of our cousin Eric. He was an influential person to many, both in his political career and his life in the ministry. He was the one that introduced and encouraged me to become a member of the Church of the Holy Spirit (Episcopal Church) when he found out I lived on the western part of the island. After some consideration, I visited and it is now my church home. We will keep the entire family in our prayers. From the Family of the late Mary Hill-Edwards

For the short time I met you, it was always a pleasure speaking with you about past events and career options. You were a man with a wealth of knowledge and was always eager to share it. I am sorry to see you go but you will not be forgotten. Rest in peace.

Alfredo Barrott and Family

Eric Dawson Is Forever Remembered:

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our close friend & Heritage Isle neighbor of more than twelve years.

Our sympathy is extended to his loving wife Betty & his entire Family. May God provide continuous comfort to all of you.

Some of our fondest memories of Eric included fine dining, attending minor league baseball games, local group and social activities at our community club house. We enjoyed the fellowship & good conversations. Many times we observed that Betty & Eric loved to dance together at social events (and, could they cut the rug).

In addition to the great times, Eric also provided spiritual counseling & prayers during the time that we had learned of the passing of a dear family member. He provided comfort and gave us the strength that we needed. 

Eric was such a passionate and talented gentleman. He pushed on with amazing strength & courage as he confronted his illness.

Eric’s, smiles were infectious, especially when he proudly spoke about his beloved Virgin Islands. Our later visits to St Thomas were more meaningful just because of Eric.

Eric, you will be truly missed and remembered always.

Lovingly,

The Harvey's:
Benjamin, Barbara & Karen

Please accept condolences on behalf of the Vanterpool cousins inTortola, British Virgin Islands which also includes some Dawsons. Eric was about 30 years my senior but we developed a strong bond. I heard of him as a boy growing up in the BVI and knew that our cousin was a significant player on the government and political scene in the USVI.

We first connected in a personal way when he stayed at my house when he came to attend and participate in the funeral of our beloved cousin Ivan Dawson in 2001. Aside from the various topics on which we could chat, we found solid common ground on spiritual matters as by then he was an ordained priest and I a lay preacher in the Methodist church. We chatted more frequently when I lived in Gainesville, Florida for a few years while pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Florida. I appreciate the advice he freely gave me.

Like him, I am very much into family and was very pleased to visit him and Betty in Melbourne somewhere around 2005-2006. He always challenged my sister Lorna and I to pull off a family reunion on Tortola. I recently spent some months in Fort Lauderdale and had arranged a visit with him while I drove back from Gainesville one weekend in November 2016. We were both very excited about the visit but unfortunately the morning I was supposed to head there, Betty called and indicated t he was not feeling well that day and had to be taken to the hospital. I did not go to Melbourne as I was not certain that I would be able to see him. Nonetheless, my memories of him are fond. He certainly made a positive impact on my life.

On behalf of my mother Yvonne Dawson and the descendants of Osmond and Alphena Vanterpool (nee Thomas) we pray God’s comfort for Betty, the children and grandchildren, Joyce, Cynthia and their families.

TRIBUTE FOR ERIC DAWSON

Our cousin Eric had a very special relationship with our dad, the late Ivan Dawson, CBE. Both of them were christians but after Eric became a senator, that relationship strengthened as our dad was also in the political arena. They often had conversations over the phone and Eric would come to Tortola to visit the family whenever he could. 

When daddy got ill, Eric came to Tortola to visit him and subsequently assisted in the officiating of his funeral and lent support to our family. We will always remember Eric as a kind-hearted, loving, loyal and ambitious cousin. He always did his best in whatever capacity he served in his family life, church life and political life. We were saddened to learn of his illness and subsequent passing. He will truly be missed.

We extend our sincere condolences to his beloved wife Betty, children, sisters and other immediate family members. May the soul of our beloved cousin Eric, rest in eternal peace. 

Descendants of the late Ivan and Christiana Dawson

TO: MRS. BETTY DAWSON & FAMILY; THE PETERSEN AND FAULKNER FAMILY

Our Dear Brother Eric has passed on before us. Let us not grieve for him. The Lord know that he was getting weary and said to him come ye blessed and faithful servant I have a special place prepared for you. Enter into my precious kingdom with joy where you will reign with me and have eternal life. Let us all be prepared to meet Eric one day when our blessed saviour come to claim his world. May his soul rest in peace.

GLORIA C. FORBES & FAMILY

TRIBUTE FROM ARMELLE FERDINAND

My sincere condolences to my cousin Betty Jean Vanterpool Dawson and David, Diane and Ricky and grandchildren on the passing of their beloved husband, father and grandfather. I met Eric in high school as a member of the Class of ’55 of Charlotte Amalie High School.
Once Eric became a part of the family, he remained close, offering his comfort, counsel and advice in good times and bad. He was a staunch member of the family and an excellent role model who stepped in to help my children and I during troubling times. We could always count on him.
In the community, he was a man of public service, as a high- ranking leader in the National Guard, the Virgin Islands Legislature, as Commissioner of Economic Development and Agriculture and as a Deacon in the Anglican Church.
On another note, he was a lifelong learner, in his later years, he was studying French in order to communicate with me and his son-in-law in our native language. A man of faith, he was also pursuing a degree in Divinity.
We had faith-filled discussions which I will always remember and cherish. Rest well dear friend, we miss you.

To the Honorable Senator Eric E. Dawson, (Uncle Eric). To say you were instrumental in my life is an understatement. Not only were you a role model by your actions, you always took the time to impart the wisdom and experience you possessed to many, young and old. From my early days as a child visiting St. Thomas, to my collegiate years at NYU, your alma mater, you were always present as a father figure in my life. It was the fact you attended NYU and that Diane was currently enrolled that lead me to choose that university. During my time there it was your counsel that guided me on my career path today. For this I'm forever thankful and grateful. May you rest in eternal peace with God our Father.

Eric Dawson has been part of our family ever since he married our cousin Betty. Despite his busy schedule, he always made time for our family. I remember when my father, Eugene Ferdinand, passed, Eric traveled to Haiti to participate in his funeral services. Following that period of time, he grew very close to my mom, Marie Clara Ferdinand. She often referred to him as her son. When she passed, he traveled from Virginia to St, Thomas and he actively participated in her funeral services. Several years later, when my brother-in-law passed, he became a surrogate father to my nephews, Rodney and Eugene. A role he carried out throughout his lifetime. He always offered "pearls of wisdom" and was a man of "unshakeable faith." I will truly miss him but I also know that his spirit lives on in each one of us who knew him and cherished him. Rest in Peace, my beloved faithful cousin, I know your reward is great in heaven. Rest in Peace and Au Revoir until we meet again!

Native son, preacher, teacher, senator, politician, attorney, veteran, pubic servant, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, brother, coming from humble beginnings at Green St. No. 4, down street, St. Thomas, (round de alley) Eric has made us all proud.
He has finished the work his Heavenly Father gave him to do in this part of his vineyard and now awaits his eternal rewards. May the work he has done speak for him. May those who come behind him follow in his footsteps so that his legacy lives on from generation to generation.

"Servant of God, well done! 
Rest from thy loved employ
The battle fought, the victory won, 
Enter thy master's joy. 

Soldier of Christ, well done! 
Praise be thy new employ; 
    and while eternal ages run, 
Rest in thy Savior's joy."

Rest in eternal peace, brother.

Joyce L. Dawson Petersen
Cynthia Dawson Faulkner
          SISTERS

Gentle nurturing and loving that was the spirit of
ERIC DAWSON
COUSIN, TEACHER, FRIEND

Always willing to lend an ear whenever needed (That’s our Cousin Eric); you had a rare sense of humor which we will all miss. It has been only a few days and the void is there. Memory is the only friend, that grief can call its own. We miss you now, our hearts are sore; as time goes by, we will miss you more. We know we never lose the ones we love. For, even though Eric’s gone, within our hearts his memory lingers on.

To Betty and family, “May you find comfort in the thought your loss is shared today, by those who care about you more than words could every say.

Whether we knew him as (Eric, Mr. Dawson, Senator or Cousin) as we bid him our earthly farewell, and despite our profound sorrow, let us take solace in knowing he has gone to be with the Great Almighty, where he will find eternal rest. Undeniably, he has left a memorable mark on us all.

Sylvanita Forbes Hendricks (Morse) and the rest of the Forbes Family

The Honorable Eric E. Dawson was more than a cousin, he was a friend and a mentor. My first memories of Eric was as a member of the Virgin Islands Legislature, and someone of whom the whole family was very proud. He always took time to speak with the younger members of the family to check on our progress and to encourage us to do our best. When my father passed away 30 years ago, he made the time to seek out my siblings and I to make sure we were ok and to offer counsel on matters large and small. In times of crisis, he never shied away as many others did, but stayed in touch, offering a reassuring voice. My grandmother, who he called Aunt Clara, considered him "her son". We will all miss Eric very much. In particular, I will miss the wide ranging political discussions on local and national affairs. He loved the Virgin Islands and its people very much and cared about its future. His suffering is now over, may he rest in the eternal arms of the Father.

"A soldier a warrior who never took time out to rest but pressed on everyday doing his best that we may benefit from the fruits of his labor. So many memories from Green Street #4 (Round de Alley) to Bovoni, Hope, Virginia, Florida just to name a few. Uncle Eric you blazed a trail for many to follow. What more can we say? Thank you for being an uncle and more than that to us. Now it's time for you to take your well deserved rest.

Your nephew- Leslie

Dear Family and Friends,

Thank you for sharing in this tribute of our beloved Eric E. Dawson, Esq. As I type this, I think of how he would be looking over my shoulder to correct my grammar, and spelling. As a perfectionist, Daddy never rested. As an ambitious person, he never stopped. He never took the word, 'NO' for answer. Even in his last few years when he was too weak to walk, he would roll up to the computer every day to work on yet another literary project for as long as his strength would last.

Our mother was so courageous and persevering in caring for him. She never stopped to take a rest. Our brother David was a vital part of the care taking system too. Because of that, our gratitude and thanks to God spills over knowing that our father had the best and most loving care possible until the end.

We love you and miss our father so much. He has left behind a legacy that will forever inspire us to keep pushing forward in our lives.

On behalf of our mother Betty and my brothers David and Eric Jr., we thank you for taking the time to share your special memories of Eric E. Dawson, Esq. with us.

Love,

Diane