Mary Beth Dodson of Coronado, California, passed away on Sept. 30, 2024.

Mary Beth was born on Dec. 7, 1936, in York, to Grant and Ellen Jane (Myers) Matson. They moved to North Platte in 1940. She graduated from North Platte High School in 1954 and attended college at Nebraska Wesleyan. She married James J. Dodson and together they had four children: Kelly J. (Bonnie) Dodson, Erin (Robert) Call, Amy (David) Lugsch, and Jennifer (Phil) June.

Mary Beth was active in art circles in North Platte, including president of Platter Painters, North Platte Art Guild and Art Studies League. She was a partner in Keepsakes Gallery and taught art classes at Mid-Plains College and at the Art and Gift Gallery. She was a signature member of the Nebraska State Art Organization. Twice she painted in Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France, near Paris. She wrote feature articles for the North Platte Bulletin and the North Platte Telegraph, and published a book of poetry, “The Same Moon Rises.”

Since moving to Coronado in 2013, she participated in art exhibits in the Community Center, Spreckles and Art in the Park. Banners of her paintings were seasonally hung over Orange Avenue for several years. She continued writing, belonging to the Coronado Scribes and copy editing for the Crown City Magazine. Since 2023, Mary Beth lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her daughter Erin’s (Bob) family.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her daughter, Jennifer; and her son-in-law, Phil.

Mary Beth is survived by grandchildren, Zachary, Cory (Kirsty) Call and Abby (Jacob) Feeley, Jessica, Kristin, Kevin and Ryan Dodson, Lindsey (Adam) Lugsch-Tehle, Kelsey Lugsch and Christopher and Alex June; step-grandchildren, Casey Hight, Liza Rawlings, and Sam, Philip and Stephanie June; great-grandchildren, Declyn and Blakely (Abby) and Aylynn and Kyle (Lindsey); step-great-grandchildren, Brian, Easton and Blake (Liza) and Greyson and Lane (Casey).

Online condolences may be shared at bohlenderfuneralchapel.com.

Graveside services is at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, near Maxwell, at a later date.

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