Kylee M. Dawson, D.O. age 30, passed away peacefully Saturday, October 30, 2021, afternoon, surrounded by family and love at UPMC Hospital in Pittsburgh from complications of Cystic Fibrosis.
Born September 18, 1991, Kylee was one of four children born to Dr. John and Carol Dawson of Columbiana, OH. She grew up with her siblings and next-door cousins, all surrounded by the love, food, and laughter of their big Italian family. A voracious reader, Kylee showed an early love of learning that carried through the rest of her life. She loved movie nights, big family meals, and family vacations to the beach. Kylee had a lifelong passion for horses, illustrated by her many years of competing with her 4-H Club. She also pursued her passion and love for dance at Kathi’s Dance and Gym Center for 12 years. She attended South Range Local where she enjoyed playing soccer with her sister and cousins and graduated as valedictorian.
Kylee attended college at Walsh University in Canton, OH, where she graduated magna cum laude in three years with a biology degree, a chemistry minor, with an emphasis in theology.
Fulfilling her greatest passions in life, medicine and serving others, she continued her education at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. There, she graduated magna cum laude with a Doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine. She was awarded the American Women’s Association Glasgow Rubin Citation for Academic Achievement and the Missouri State Medical Association Honor Graduate Award.
Kylee completed her 3-year internal medicine residency at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. There, she worked tirelessly caring for patients and assisting with rheumatology research. Throughout all of Kylee’s academic and professional life, she displayed endless tenacity and astonished others with her intellect and compassion. Kylee was up to every challenge she faced.
She received many academic scholarships and awards and was a member of Sigma Zeta, the American Medical Association, the Christian Medical and Dental Association, the Internal Medicine Club, and Psi Sigma Alpha.
Several weeks prior to her death, Kylee passed the American Board of Internal Medicine examination and achieved her dream of becoming a board-certified internal medicine physician. Since July, Kylee had been a fellow in the rheumatology department at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh.
As a sister, daughter, niece, granddaughter, cousin, aunt, godmother, and friend, Kylee was endlessly devoted to the people she loved. Her generosity and thoughtfulness could be felt through her frequent gift giving and planning of family adventures. Family meant everything to Kylee, and Kylee meant everything to her family. In her own words, “You can take away every other earthly thing, and it doesn’t matter when you already have the most valuable thing in the world” (the love of family).
As a devout Catholic, Kylee shared her faith with everyone in every aspect of the way she lived. Family and friends felt they could experience the love and miracles of Christ through Kylee.
She drew strength to endure and the will to survive from her family and her faith. In a last letter to her family, Kylee noted that the challenges she faced throughout her life strengthened her faith in a way that could not have been reached otherwise. She wrote of coming to know God’s heart and through that finding indescribable hope, peace, and love. She felt her purpose in life was perhaps “for someone to think twice and wonder and be led towards God or believing in miracles” through witnessing her journey through this life. Indeed, Kylee Marie Dawson has fought the good fight, she has finished the race, and kept the faith.
Kylee is loved and will be deeply missed by her family. She is survived by her grandparents, Joseph (Geraldine) Sposato of North Lima, her parents, Dr. John (Carol) Dawson of Columbiana, her siblings Russell (Samantha) Dawson of Columbiana, Dr. Jack (Kayla) Dawson of Greenford, and Geri (Tyler) Dawson-Cosma of Canton. She is also survived by her cherished nieces and nephews and her beloved pup, Gladys.
Kylee is preceded in death by her grandparents Russell (Hester) Dawson, uncles Jim Dawson and Thomas Dawson.
Calling hours will be held on Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. at Warrick-Kummer-Rettig Funeral Home, 28 N. Main St. Columbiana, OH. Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 5, 2021 at St. Jude Catholic Church in Columbiana, with Father Christopher Cicero officiating. Masks are required for all services.
A Christian burial will take place at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Leetonia, OH.
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Memorial donations may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation at www.cff.org/give-tod