Daniel Earl Dolson was a funny hard-working brilliant man that left this Earth after he was called for duty by his Heavenly Father after an almost 10-year battle with Alzheimer’s. Dan was born in Neptune, N.J. on April 2, 1942. He was so proud of his time in the Air Force, retiring after 20 years in 1981. During that time, his favorite tour of duty was serving as an Assistant Professor in the Physics Department at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Co. While at the Academy he was most proud of being chosen to help start the Atmospheric Physics Program in the Physics Department. From there he had an amazing career with Teledyne Brown working as the Director of the Payload Mission Integration (PMIC) Program at Marshall Space Flight Center, and then at Boeing as a Program Manager of the Brazilian International Space Station Program in Houston at Johnson Space Center. He subsequently moved back to Huntsville where he was the Manager of the Payload Engineering, Integration and Operations IPT until finally retiring in April of 2005.
In spite of a busy career, he was able to manage and take care of a 21-acre farm in Hazel Green, raising and showing Spotted Saddle (Tennessee Walking) horses on the weekends with his wife Teresa (Terri). After retirement he started taking up hobbies like flying remote control airplanes, fishing, playing on a men’s softball team, and reloading ammunition for shooting range competition. He and Terri also spent time traveling to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska and Europe.
Dan was a ‘man’s man’ who loved working with his hands, but he also loved a good joke and was great at telling them. Alzheimer’s may have stolen his brilliance, but it couldn’t take away his wonderful sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew and loved him for the remarkable man he was.
He is preceded in death by his Father, Earl Dolson, mother, Elsie Dolson and son, Gregory Dolson.
He is survived by his wife of almost 40 years, Terri Dolson and three children, David Mark Dolson (Shamane), Angela Erickson (Andrew) and Valerie Scott (Eric), 9 grandchildren, Sarah Merino, Chelsea Bost, Joshua Dolson, Clarissa Dolson, Abbi Johnson, Jesse Scott, Aaron Scott, Ella Erickson, Rylan Erickson and 6 great-grandkids.
A visitation for Dan will be held Monday, February 24, 2025 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Valhalla Funeral Home & Memory Gardens, 698 Winchester Rd NE, Huntsville, Alabama 35811, followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 2:00 pm.
