Berteal Dawson; Longtime Oxnard Resident

Berteal Dawson, a 33-year Oxnard resident, died Sunday at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Los Angeles. She was 61.

She was born Berteal Mackbee on June 22, 1935, in Brookhaven, Miss.

She was valedictorian of her high school class of 1954, received a nursing degree from Bayview School of Nursing in San Diego in 1963 and majored in education at Cal State Chico.

Dawson was a licensed vocational nurse for many years before helping her husband, Arthur, start A & B Painting & Decorating Co. in Oxnard. The company bookkeeper for 18 years, she was an active member of the Tri-County African-American Chamber of Commerce.

Dawson was a 33-year member of the St. Paul Baptist Church, where she served as deaconess, church nurse, trustee board member and scholarship committee president.

In addition to her husband of 35 years, survivors include her son, David A. Dawson, daughter and son-in-law Lorrie and the Rev. Bill Milton, and daughter, Lamonica Dawson, all of Oxnard; brother J.W. Mackbee of Hattiesburg, Miss.; and brothers O’Neal Mackbee, Issac Mackbee and sister Celete Leavy, all of Brookhaven, Miss., one grandson and many other relatives.

Funeral services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Baptist Church. Graveside services will be held Tuesday in Brookhaven, Miss.

Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Paul Scholarship Fund, c/o Geraldine Lyghts, 1354 S. C St., Oxnard 93033.

Garcia Mortuary is in charge of the funeral arrangements.