Ann Patton Dawson

The daughter of a Fort Smith, Arkansas historian and the wife of a prominent judge, Ann Patton Dawson knew a lot about both history and law enforcement. She devoted her last years to the efforts towards making the U.S. Marshals Service Museum a reality with her service on the Board of Directors from its inception. Her energy often rubbed off on her fellow members. She asked the hard questions, and often brought the focus needed to guide towards the answers. Her service on many boards and community committees showed a devotion to the cause of education—among them: University of Arkansas Alumni Board of Directors, Arkansas Parks and Tourism Commission, the Fort Smith Public Library Endowment Advisory Council, and the Conference on College Composition and Communication. She assisted her father, J. Fred Patton, who wrote the consummate history of Fort Smith and she was for many years custodian of his papers. In other words, she knew how the race was run and was ideal for the U.S. Marshals Museum Board of Directors.

Ann attended both Hendrix College and the University of Arkansas. She became an instructor in English and the Humanities. Her daughter Christie joined the U.S. Marshals in 2011 with our Office of Congressional Affairs. She is survived by her husband, three children, and four grandchildren. She passed away on May 2, 2012 at the age of 74.