James Allen Dawson

James “Jay” Allen Dawson, beloved father and friend, left this world much too soon on February 17, 2020 at the age of 45. He was preceded in death by his mothers, Tammie and Choclate; and his grandmother, Eleanor.. He is survived by his fiancée, Carissa; daughter, Jasmine, her son Carter and her mother Ricole; sons, Christian, Roman and their mother, Melissa; his uncle Joseph; aunt Terry; and brother, Christopher. Jay was a lover of disc golf, Super Mario brothers, and breakfast. On any given weekend, he would likely combine all three. Although he managed to lose a disc every now and again, and fall down an embankment or two, he loved being on the course with his friends. He also loved being a father and grandfather, always wanting more for his kids than he had himself. As part of that goal, he successfully maintained 14 years of sobriety and was always working on self-improvement. He used those insights to brighten the lives of everyone around him. Jimmie was a consummate prankster who enjoyed reveled in vulgarity. He tackled any challenge placed in front of him with gusto, whether it was biking 104 miles down to Cincinnati, or taking down as many Krispy Kremes as possible in thirty minutes. He made both look easy. He had the misfortune of being an often-disappointed Chicago Bears fan, but was rewarded as an avid Buckeye fan. He shared his love of football with his Uncle Joe, who he was happy to torment for cheering on Green Bay. He had a lifelong love of animals and the outdoors, thanks to spending so much time on Aunt Terry’s horse farm. He had an odd fascination with chipmunks, loved anything pertaining to dogs, and had recently become enamored with groundhog videos. Jay was, in a nutshell, one of the best people you will ever meet. Whether he made you laugh till you cried, or pressed all your buttons, or just made you smile, he will be missed dearly by all who knew him. A memorial service will be planned to laugh at all of his shenanigans on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10 AM, Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Home. "In lieu of flowers, please get a tattoo or make a donation to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/donate/."