John W. Dodson's Obituary
John W. Dodson, of Cinnaminson, NJ, passed away peacefully on January 27, 2024. Born in Owensboro, Kentucky to the late Ernest and Stella Mae(nee King) Dodson, he was 91 years old.
John was raised in rural Kentucky, and graduated from the University of Evansville in 1954. The first in his family to attend college, he moved to the Philadelphia area to start his career as an engineer at RCA. He enjoyed being near Philadelphia and all a big city had to offer; becoming a lifelong fan of Philadelphia’s sports teams and a dedicated patron of the arts, especially jazz and classical music. At a friend’s party in Philadelphia, he met Micheline Stalpart, a sweet and savvy city girl who spoke fluent French and shared his love for art and music. In her he found the perfect partner; in him, she found a perfect gentleman. That chance meeting started a love story that spanned more than 65 years. He and Mimi married in 1958 and eventually settled in Cinnaminson NJ, where they raised their four children and welcomed ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They made close friends and were active members of Saint Charles Borromeo Parish. John had a 40-year career as an engineer working on cutting edge technologies that supported the U.S. defense. He enjoyed coaching his sons in basketball, teaching them to play golf and teaching all of his children to play tennis. Through his love of sports he taught them the value of fair play and sportsmanship. A fan of his mother-in-law’s French cooking, John spent many happy hours in the kitchen perfecting his own culinary skills and preparing feasts for friends and family, paired perfectly with wine and conversation. After retiring in 1994, he and Mimi enjoyed traveling throughout the US and Europe, especially to wine regions and to France, which inspired his own cooking. Whether serving a country ham or a cassoulet, his dinners brought the people he loved together and were a celebration of family. Every meal at the Dodson home started with happy hour and ended with “to-go” containers and promises of not eating again for days.
John is survived by his wife of 65 years, Micheline J. Dodson; his daughters Suzanne Calhoun (Chris) and Jeanine Collins (Brett); and his sons John and Tom (Maureen). He was the cherished and very proud Papa of Sarah Licata (Daniel), Madeleine Calhoun, Emily Calhoun, Kate Dodson, Molly Dodson, Emma Dodson (Garrett Barker), Thomas Dodson, Maura Dodson, Micheline Collins, and Ruari Collins; and great Papa to Callan and Adele Licata. John was predeceased by his sister Arlene Blumenthal and daughter-in-law Tammy Dodson.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at Givnish of Cinnaminson, 1200 Route 130 North, on Monday, February 5th from 12pm – 12:30 pm. A service will begin at 12:30 pm.
In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the Cathedral Kitchen, 1514 Federal Street, Camden, NJ 08105, www.cathedralkitchen.org. , where he donated meals for many years. To share your fondest memories and condolences, please visit www.Givnish.com.
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