John George Dobson Sr.

Sunday, January 5, 2020, a young man walked into Heaven and up to the young lady waiting for him and said, “How about a cup of tea, Rosie?” And they were finally back together.

John George Dobson, Sr. was born on September 29, 1927 to Walter E. Dobson and Josephine (Bartlett) Dobson in Paterson, NJ.  During his childhood, they moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he was raised until he joined the Navy at age 17 in May, 1945, during the last months of World War II.  He would serve again during the Korean War, finally separating from active duty in 1952 by Honorable Discharge.  Upon his return home, he found work in the engineering office of the Erie Railroad, where he met Rosemary Comiskey, who would become Rosemary Dobson on January 16, 1954.  Together they would raise six sons and a daughter and were only separated in body, not spirit, by Rosemary’s death in 2014.  For the next years, John served his family as patriarch, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, advisor, and friend, teaching all of his children how to age with grace, dignity, and class.  But he longed always to return to Rosemary’s side.

As a young man, John worked at the railroad until he moved to United Airlines, where he would work for the next 27 years.  During that time, he moved his family from Cleveland to Monclova, Ohio, and again to South Toledo, working as a cargo agent at the Toledo Express Airport.  When it became apparent that United Airlines would discontinue its service out of Toledo Express, John retired at age 55 and went back to school, receiving a certificate in Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning and graduated as the MVP of his class. After graduation, he took a position in HVAC at the Medical College of Ohio, ultimately moving to the position of electrician.  He retired from MCO and spent the following years enjoying his family.  He and Rosemary moved to Plummer’s Landing, Kentucky and later to Maysville, looking after his boys there and their families.  When Rosemary passed he returned to the Toledo area and lived with his son John, Jr. and later Chuck, where he enjoyed is final years visiting and being visited by family and friends.

John always enjoyed helping his sons and daughter and their families with whatever needed to be done, from mowing Steve’s campground to climbing into Paul’s attic to fix an electrical issue.  His trips to Jim and Rita’s house where he learned the benefits of a good martini, to Louisville, KY to visit Dan for Easter, and to Portland, Oregon for Ed, especially the visit in October, were highlights of his life.  He loved to watch his Packers play and enjoyed his life-long passion of model railroading.  But most of all he just valued the time spent with his wife, his children, the wives and husband of his children (who doted on him), his grandchildren and his great-grandchildren.

John was preceded in death by his wife, his parents, his parents-in-law (whom he loved), his daughter Rita Marshall of Sylvania, his grandson Michael of Denver, CO and his best friend Salvatore Calabrese.  He is survived by his son-in-law Jim Marshall; his sons John Jr. (Margaret) of Sylvania, Ed (Anne) of Portland, OR, Daniel (Molly) of Louisville, KY, Stephen (Jennifer) of Maysville, KY, Paul (Michele) of Bowling Green, and Charles (Lisa) of Temperance, MI; his grandchildren: Julia, James, Kevin (Desiree), Katelyn, Katie, Sarah, Michael, Sean, Bridget, Catherine, Matthew, Elizabeth, Kassidy, Mackenzie, Joshua (Courtney), Isaac (Ashley), Abigail, Michael (Katie), Nicolas (Nikki), Justin, Cassidy, and Jennifer; along with 15 great-grandchildren.

Deep in the hearts of our family is gratitude to Charlotte, Steve, John, Maggie, Chuck, and Lisa for the wonderful care they have taken of our parents.  Because of you, Mom and Dad always had their family around them, caring for them.  We also are so thankful for the wonderful angels of mercy manifesting themselves as hospice nurses, who took such loving care of both Mom and Dad.

The lasting gift John Dobson gave to us is the recognition that caring for your family, watching over them, giving them faith in God’s provision, and doing whatever needs to be done to provide for them is the most important occupation any of us have on Earth.  We love you Dad!  When we see you, in skatey-eight years, we’re sure you’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, chewing the fat about this, that, and five rabbits with some Great Mucky-Muck!

Visitation for family and friends will be Wednesday, January 8th from 3p to 7p at Reeb Funeral Home in Sylvania.  The funeral will be Thursday morning, January 9th at 11a at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 2240 Castlewood Drive, Toledo, OH 43613, with a private burial at Highland Memory Gardens in Waterville. Donations in John’s name can be made to Most Blessed Sacrament Church or Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Online condolences to reebfuneralhome.com

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