Rev. Royal Sterling Dodson entered the Kingdom Triumphant on December 25, 2022. He was born to Kavanaugh and Vanoy Dodson on February 13, 1938. He was a graduate of DeValls Bluff Arkansas, and Ouachita Baptist University. He surrendered to the ministry when he was a young man and was ordained as a Baptist minister, until 1973, when he transferred to the United Methodist Church to continue his call to ministry. He served faithfully in the United Methodist Church past his retirement in 2000. He did not officially step away from the pulpit until he was 82. Giving him over 60 years in ministry. During those 60 years, he served the following within the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, Holly Springs Circuit, Dodridge Circuit, Delight Circuit, Gardner/New Salem, St. Charles/Pleasant Grove, Taylor, Almyra/Hunters Chapel, Watson Circuit, Westside Circuit, Bayou Meto Circuit, Earle, Eudora, and Welcome Circuit. Along with numerous other churches in his retirement.
Royal loved to hunt and fish and the beauty of Prairie County Arkansas. He was a 32nd-degree mason. He also was proud of his service in the Army National Guard. He was proud to call DeValls Bluff Arkansas his hometown and he was proud of all three of his sons, and especially his grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his Brother, Butch Dodson, his father, Kavanaugh Dodson, and his Mother, Vanoy Dodson. A brother-in-law Jerry Kearby and his wife, Frances Dodson.
He is survived by Kavan & Michele Dodson (son and daughter-in-law), Kirk Dodson (son), Keith & Lori Dodson (son and daughter-in-law), Rebekah Dodson, Joshua Dodson, Michael Dodson, and Aleighsha Dodson (grandchildren), and one great-grandchild, Jimmy Dodson. He is also survived by his brother Garnette and Lana Jo Dodson (Brother and sister-in-law), and a sister Debby Kearby.
A celebration of life service will be held at Greenhill United Methodist Church at 10:00 a.m. December 27th, 2022. The address for Greenhill UMC is 372 Green Hill Road Wilmar AR 71675
In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the University of Arkansas at Monticello Wesley Foundation.
UAM Wesley
PO Box 3017
Monticello, Ar 71656