April 25, 1933 - June 17, 2007

A service is planned to commemorate the life of George F. Dotson at 2 p.m. Monday, June 25, at McHenry Funeral Home, followed by a reception at CH2M Hill in Corvallis. He died on Father's Day, June 17, at the age of 74. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Joan of Corvallis; a son, Mark of Hermiston; and two daughters, Debbi Burright of Wilsonville and Diana Alverez of Salem. Survivors also include two brothers, Russ of Joseph and Bill of Hood River; a sister, Beverly Toll of Medford; six grandsons and two granddaughters; and one great-grandson with one more great-grandchild on the way. He was preceded in death by one brother, Bob. and one sister, Peggy Willett.

Born April 25, 1933, in Eugene, he was the fourth child of Emmitt Gatis and Effie Mae Dotson. Educated in surrounding towns and raised on a farm, he attended University of Oregon for two years and then changed to Oregon State University in the fall of 1953 for an engineering degree. He enrolled in the Army ROTC at both colleges and received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1956. He met his wife, Joan, on a blind date in 1953, and they were married in March 1955. While serving in the ROTC, he was hired by CH2M after college as employee No. 31. He served active duty in Virginia for two years before returning to CH2M. He earned a master's degree in structural engineering in 1969 and worked on many structural projects around the world including in the United States, Egypt and Trinidad. He recently celebrated 50 years of service at CH2M Hill.

Since his so-called "retirement" he and Joan have traveled around the continent in an R.V. From Canada to Mexico and from the East Coast to the West, he made friends wherever they stopped. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was often quoted as saying, "If I'm too sick to go to work, I might as well go huntin'." He rarely sat still and was the king of do-it-yourself projects. Though his projects would hold up against the strongest earthquake, they did lack a little polish in the finished look. He loved to garden as much as the deer liked to eat it and finally managed to grow almost an acre of goodies on 40 feet of deck. He was mightier than the redwoods and larger than life. He was a loving and faithful husband and a doting dad and grandpa. He is loved dearly by his family and many friends and will greatly be missed.