Obituary of Maureen Claire Dawson

On Saturday, September 7^th, 2024, Maureen Claire Dawson passed away at the age of 82. Maureen was born on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th, 1942, in Dracut, Massachusetts to her parents, Clarence and Grace Roussell. Maureen was a true Irish lass growing up, as her birth date would dictate. Maureen can be quoted telling her youngest daughter about being Irish, that “you were born with bag pipes in your heart and whiskey on your gums.” She spent her youth growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts. Being the first born, she looked after and loved her two brothers, Ronald Roussell and Thomas Rousell.

The family eventually moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, which was a transfer associated with her father’s profession as an accountant at the time with the United States Rubber Co. In 1955 the family moved to Saddle Brook, New Jersey which was the result of another transfer and promotion for her father.  She attended Catholic High School, where she was exceptionally smart and graduated valedictorian of her class. Maureen was a top student during her entire educational years. Her father and mother were very proud of her.  She inherited her father’s sharp intellect. 

Her father’s company, United States Rubber Co. would eventually become Uniroyal. The company was a major supplier to the United States government during World War II; they supplied tires for aircrafts, jeeps, trucks, troop transports, and tank treads, among other products. This was where Maureen inherited her patriotic spirit.

Maureen was a dedicated and hard worker and maintained employment in her younger years. At the age of 16, she worked at Newberry’s; a five- and ten-department store, in Paramus, New Jersey. She would become a skilled legal secretary in adulthood, with an unmatched ability to type at the highest word count possible. She was a trained steno typist.

Maureen eventually went on to marry Edmund Dawson. She became a stay-at-home mom in their home in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, once she gave birth to their three daughters. After her children were grown, Maureen became a secretary at a local real estate branch in Wyckoff, New Jersey. It should be noted that she crashed multiple computers due to the processing systems not being able to keep up with her typing speed. In typical fashion, Maureen worked extremely hard and became a high achiever in real estate, being recognized for her sales goals.

Maureen was passionate about reading, cooking, baking, dark chocolate, flowers, holistic healing, bird watching, volunteer work at her church; Most Blessed Sacrament of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, her faith in God and Catholicism, giving back in any way that she could, being an involved parent with her children’s multitude of activities; including being a Girl Scout troop leader, traveling often and later in life. One noteworthy travel experience was when she was re-baptized with her youngest daughter in Israel, which was a beautiful and blessed moment for both mother and daughter to share.

Maureen was predeceased by her parents Clarence and Grace Roussell and sadly by her youngest brother Thomas Rousell. She is survived by her brother Ronald Roussell and his wife Diane Roussell, Donna Roussell, her sister-in-law, widow of Thomas Roussell, along with her three daughters, Lisa, Susan and Wendy Dawson. She leaves behind countless extended family members, friends and loved ones.

To honor Maureen Claire Dawson’s life on Saturday, September 14^th, 2024, from 10am-12pm there will be a viewing at Oakland Memorial Home, 330 Ramapo Valley Road, Oakland, NJ 07436. Directly following will be her burial at Christ the King Cemetery, 980 Huron Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417.