William Tyce Dodson
William Dodson Obituary
Born on November 16, 1948, in Annapolis, Maryland, to Peter Tyce and Alma Brooke (Jeter) Dodson, William Tyce was named for (1) his mother's younger brother and (2) his father. His family always referred to him as "William." When just a youngster, his family moved from their rented home (off Mt. Zion Road) in Greenock, Maryland, to their purchased home in Bristol, Maryland, where William was reared, both properties being in rural southern Anne Arundel County.
William entered Tracy's Landing Elementary School in 1955 where he excelled academically and then attended Frederick Sasscer High School from which he graduated in 1967. Soon after, he took a surveying job with a local company, Wilkerson, and learned the trade well. Meanwhile, he married Margie Slack from West Virginia.
Unfortunately, William's mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer, which was a thing of great distress to him and his family. The LORD took her home to Glory in 1971, and William was broken-hearted ... and somewhat bitter. Losing his father also to cancer and divorcing his wife, both in 1983, further simplified his life-style, although he suffered through all these losses.
Going on with his life, however, William gave up his job with Wilkerson to go into business with a partner, later joining with the Advanced Surveys team, from which he retired and moved into the historic "Farmer House," purchased in 1986. Built in 1821, this home in the extreme south-western corner of Amelia County, Virginia, was a challenge as well as a blessing to him. Over the succeeding years, he made improvements on the house, which he sincerely loved.
During the days when William drove from Southern Maryland to the Farmer House, he began to listen to recordings of the Bible and developed a curiosity as to its contents. Then he began his search for a Bible-preaching church near him in Virginia. Finally settling on Crewe Baptist Church in Nottoway County, he was baptized and became a very faithful member, serving the LORD there with every opportunity. He made many friends there, as he took on the ministry of being the sound-man. Eventually, he found himself in the esteemed position of being the head of numerous committees, and was a member of the pastor-search committee, which called Pastor Dallas Smith to be the human leader of their church. The friends he made at Crewe Baptist stood by his side in his own struggle with cancer. Much appreciation goes to them!
William is survived by his sister Carole Bryant and her children Anna Cox, Gordon Bryant, and Joy Sleeper, all residents of Prince Frederick, Maryland, 25 great-nieces and nephews, and 19 great-great nieces and nephews. Beside these, are his first cousins Frances Daniel (Providence, NC), Rachel and Jackie Womack (Danville, VA), Mark Barksdale (Keysville, VA), Christine Peeler (Greer, SC), Margo Cardellino (Mt. Airy, MD), Gordon Jeter (League City, Texas), Leslie McCann (Walker, LA), Irene Lewis (Ambler, PA), Oleg and Eugene Nawalkowsky (Phila. area, PA), and Marsha Barksdale (Paces, VA).
Will's friend Joseph McMillian will provide funeral services for a "celebration-of-life" on Wednesday August 27, 2025. The family will receive friends at 10AM, followed by funeral services at 11AM, at the Crewe Baptist Church, 400 East Virginia Ave., Crewe, VA, presided over by his Pastor Dallas Smith. Thereafter, William will be buried in the Henry Clay Dodson family burial plot on Route 659 at the county line between Halifax and Pittsylvania County, William will be interred there on the same day at 4:00 PM. "In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Crewe Baptist Church Mission Fund would be appreciated."Arrangements are by the Blackstone Chapel of the Joseph McMillian Funeral Home.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Tyce Dodson, please visit our floral store.