Deward "Swish" Dopson

Deward "Swish" Dopson, 85, died June 23, 2015 at his home in Lilburn, Ga. "Dop" was born July 5, 1929 in Strong, Ark., the son of James C. and Pearl I. (Sturdavant) Dopson. He attended Arkansas Tech in 1948 on a basketball scholarship. In 1951, he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers, where he played one season. He followed that up and played one season for the Peoria Caterpillars. In the rest of the 1950's, he coached at Manilla and Harrison High Schools in Arkansas. In 1960 he went into the insurance business, until he returned to Arkansas Tech to become the head basketball coach in 1965. In 1975 he was named President of Tabor Metals. In 1978-81 he served on the Russellville School District Board of Education. In 1978 he went to work for Southwest Medical Laboratories and then moved to Lilburn, Ga., in 1981, where he started and ran his own business National Paramed. In 1982 he was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame as a basketball player. In 1995, he retired to become a full-time grandfather. Dop and Anne Olivia Lyttle Dopson were married on July 3, 1951 in Russellville, Ark. They shared 64 years of marriage. They were active members of Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church since 1993. Dop is survived by one son, Mark Dopson, his wife Kim, and their son Ethan (Grandson) of Snellville, Ga.; grandson Jason Dopson, his wife Theresa, and their children Bryce (great grandson) and Hailey (great granddaughter) of Grayson, Ga.; and granddaughter Leigh Dopson Hill and her husband Daniel of Lawrenceville, Ga.  He is also survived by his nephew Danny Norris and niece Kay Poole, as well as many great nieces/nephews and great-great nieces/nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister Mamie Dopson Norris, son Dennis, and grandson Tyler (Mark & Kim). The Funeral Service to Honor the Life of Deward "Swish" Dopson will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2015 at 10 a.m. at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, 1400 Killian Hill Rd, SW, Lilburn, GA 30042. Serving as Pallbearers are Jason Dopson, Ethan Dopson, Daniel Hill, Danny Norris, Lance Poole and Vince Lloyd. All Former Players and Arkansas Tech Alumni and friends will serve as Honorary Pallbearers. Burial will follow at Gwinnett Memorial Park, Lawrenceville, Ga. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Tom M. Wages, Snellville Chapel. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Deward & Anne Dopson Scholarship, Arkansas Tech University Foundation, 8820 Tech Lane, Russellville, AR 72801. Condolences may be viewed or sent to www.wagesfuneralhome.com. Tom M. Wages Funeral Service, LLC, "A Family Company" Snellville Chapel 770-979-3200, has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.