Alaska Pilot Passes On

[Eagle13]

Tony Dawson long time Alaska Veterinarian, Pilot, Writer, Hunter, Fisherman lost his battle with cancer last Friday.

Photographer, writer and bush pilot, Tony Dawson born in Washington state, earned Zoology and Veterinary Medicine degrees at Washington State University, practiced in Idaho for two years, then moved to Alaska in 1975. For three years, he flew in Alaskan "bush" communities attending pets and sled dogs, and served two stints as Chief Veterinarian for the Iditarod Sled Dog Race.
Tony began photographing nature as a college hobby, and soon published his work in national magazines. Eventually, photography and writing became a profession. A past Field Editor at Alaska Magazine, and now a full-time freelancer, his publication list includes Life, Newsweek, Time, Audubon, Outside, Wilderness, Sierra, National Wildlife, National Geographic WORLD, Outdoor Life plus books from the National Geographic Society, National Wildlife Federation, Simon & Schuster and others. Tony flies his Piper Super Cub across Alaska and has traveled widely while lecturing Holland America cruise passengers. Concerned about environmental issues, he was assigned to photograph the Exxon Valdez oil spill forAudubon,

[WanaBNACub]

Wow, that sucks... Tony was the first person from Alaska I met online before I got stationed up here. He gave me some advice on photography areas. Then, after I got up here we got out twice on photo trips together. He was a great person! My condolences to the family!

[skukum12]

The Cub looks real familiar, was he from Birchwood?

[Dave Calkins]

RIP Tony!

Glorious photo's were made by this man.

An avid hunter and fisher as well.

.......could talk your ear off, whether it was Cubs or animals.

I had not talked to him in over a year and had no idea he was battling this.

[StalledOut]

Last i saw his cub it was out at Hood strip.
Been parked there for years.

[cpthazard]

Condolences to his family and his flying buddies, I think even those of us that never met him lost a friend and that makes me sad. RIP Tony

[hottshot]

Damn! Sorry to hear, Tony was a good guy I always enjoyed visiting with him on our trips to AK.

[Stumpak]

The end is usually a new beginning. At the time of my father's passing, our family had suffered three additional losses and were grateful for his many friends who stepped in to memorialize him. If you remember his cub, it is still in the family and flying today after some time being tethered while I learned how to fly it. It still bears his initials in the tail number, so if you see us around Alaska, say hello. I am always looking for stories of his exploits as there was so much about the man I jus never knew. Thanks.

[BlueFox]

The end is usually a new beginning. At the time of my father's passing, our family had suffered three additional losses and were grateful for his many friends who stepped in to memorialize him. If you remember his cub, it is still in the family and flying today after some time being tethered while I learned how to fly it. It still bears his initials in the tail number, so if you see us around Alaska, say hello. I am always looking for stories of his exploits as there was so much about the man I jus never knew. Thanks.

Condolences sir, I am glad to hear that you are carrying on with flight with his Cub. Looks like a beautiful AC. I lost my uncle and my father both pilots in ‘21 to bad health and am on the path to doing the same. That picture of his cub really brings me back, looks like that is out in the white sand and not too far from where my dad and I set up moose camp from about 1980 to 1999 near the MacArthur River.
Fly safe and may he RIP.


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