Joyce K. Dawson passed away peacefully on August 29, 2026, at the age of 82, and has now reunited with the love of her life.

Joyce was born on July 4, 1944, in Billings, Montana, and graduated from Red Lodge High School, where she was a cheerleader and very popular. She married John J. “Joe” Dawson in 1962, and together they made their home in the Tri-Cities area of Washington in 1966, where Joyce spent the remainder of her life.

Throughout her life, Joyce worked in a variety of fields, beginning as a dental assistant and later working in management, retail, and sales. She also owned and operated a plant-rental business in the Tri-Cities from 1972 to 1979. Joyce later worked at KeyBank, where she retired. She was a hardworking, independent woman who took pride in the life she built.

Family was an important part of Joyce’s life. She loved having her grandchildren over, spending time with them as they grew up, and visiting family in California. She rarely missed a baseball game when her children or grandchildren were playing and loved being there to cheer them on.

In her younger years, Joyce enjoyed spending many sunny days laying out by the pool and spent many nights dancing with Joe, and the two of them had quite the moves. She was always tending to her plants and flowers, which flourished with her green thumb. She also enjoyed taking little road trips and trying her luck at gambling with Joe, a pastime they shared and a fond part of their life together.

Joyce was a loving mother to her three sons, Craig Dawson (Jeanette), Jeff Dawson, and Jason Dawson. She was a proud grandmother to Alycia, Garrett, Cayden, Derrick, Jordan, and Landon, and a loving great-grandmother to Kash, Nova, Nathan, and Arthur.

Joyce was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John J. “Joe” Dawson. She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew and loved her. The memories she created and the love she shared will remain in the hearts of her family for years to come.

A graveside service will be held Friday, October 9, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Desert Lawn Memorial Park in Kennewick, Washington. Arrangements are being handled by Mueller’s Tri-Cities Funeral Home.