ALICIA GARCIA DAWSON-FRANCIS  
Alicia Garcia Dawson-Francis passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 6, 2017. Born March 25, 1925 in Chicago, Illinois, Alicia was a loving wife to LTC Russell H. Dawson (d., 1978) and mother of five children; Deborah, Russell, William (d., June 2, 2017), Yvette, and Renee. She and her family lived all over the country and world to include Japan, Hawaii, Washington state, Oregon, and finally Washington, D.C. She remarried Col. H. Minton Francis in 1982 (d., 2014) with whom she shared many wonderful years of travel and joy. A devout Roman Catholic, Alicia was active in the civil rights movement as an advocate for those in need. She was a social worker focused in particular on young unwed mothers, a middle school teacher, and was very active in serving her church communities. She had an eclectic group of friends that ranged from artists and musicians to politicians, priests, writers, and had an absolute flair for entertaining them all with her love of conversation, laughter and great food. She leaves behind her four children, three granddaughters, two great grandchildren, her brother James Garcia, four nieces, two nephews and many beloved friends. A Catholic Mass in her memory will be held on Thursday, December 21, 2017 at Riderwood Village Chapel 3160 Gracefield Road, Silver Spring, MD 20904 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the .