Dawson
BLACKSHEAR — Mrs. Martha Ray Dawson, 88, of Blackshear, died early Monday morning, April 6, 2026, at her residence after an extended illness.
She was born in Marshall, Texas, to the late Thomas Smith and Eun ice Smith. Mrs. Dawson settled in Blackshear in 2014.
She was a homemaker and a member of Youmans Chapel Baptist Church in Pierce County. She loved Jesus, and enjoyed listening to gospel music, playing Yahtzee, cheating at card games and going to the beach with her family. Mrs. Carter also enjoyed Saturday football games with her best friend, Vonice Carter. Even though she didn’t particularly care about football, she just loved spending time with Vonice. She also loved spending time with her grand dogs, Lily, Mouse and Leroy.
Along with her parents, Mrs. Dawson also was preceded in death by her husband, James Oliver Dawson, and her siblings, Calvin Smith, Naomi McCloud, Anna Kate Scott, Bessie Moore, and Shirley Rowland.
She is survived by her daughter, Wanda Freels and her husband, John, of Blackshear; two grandchildren, Erika Freels and Katherine Whitley; two great grandchildren, John Howard Whitley and Jade Whitley; along with numerous other relatives.
A funeral service was held Friday, April 10 in the Miles-Odum Funeral Home Chapel.
Mrs. Dawson was buried alongside her husband in Beaufort National Cemetery at 10 a.m. Monday, April.
Sympathy may be expressed by signing online at www.milesodumfuneralhome. com.
