Dawn Root
Obituary
In Loving Memory of Dawn Patricia Gaignat – O’Con, who passed away on May 18, 2022. She is survived by her husband Gaylord Sidney O’Con of 24 years, Cary her son, her 3 grandchildren Gigi, Andrew, Nicholas, the Leaverton Family, and the Gaignat Family. Dawn loved her Jack Russell puppy, Cavaya. Dawn was born in Lubbock Texas in 1944 and attended high school in Lubbock and graduated from Holton-Arms in Washington DC. She holds two master’s degrees, one from UNT and one from SMU. Dawn was a successful businesswoman, a writer, and a West Texas cotton farmer. She loved creativity, art, and design. She traveled the world and loved children everywhere. Dawn had many, many friends and will be loved and missed by all.
Donations can be made in Dawn Gaignat to CC Young Senior Living – Hospice Care Team – Fundraising & Development @ 214-874-7437
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I was very saddened to hear of Dawn Gaignat’s passing.
It was 1951. A room full of silly, unruly kids tossing spit balls and terrorizing the classroom (2nd grade), when a tall blonde, gorgeous and stately, a Princess, entered. Everybody quieted down and stared. We were in the presence of Royalty! And she wasn’t just beautiful, we later learned, she was smart…..the smartest person in the class! And, if that wasn’t enough, she was also the kindest and friendliest. That moment was the one that changed my life. I wanted her approval, and I was determined to do everything First Class, in order to earn it. Dawn was the Gold Standard, and she remained so for the rest of my life.
After three years of fiercely competing in parochial school, we went our separate ways to junior high, until we reconnected at Smiley Wilson. Dawn was elected Cheerleader and I, Student Body VP. Dawn didn’t vote for me. She voted for the tall, handsome one with a pedigree and famous family name. He took one look at me and decided there was no need to waste his time campaigning. I, on the other hand, inspired by the Gold Standard, knocked myself out campaigning…. and walked off with 80% of the votes. Everyone learned a valuable lesson that day. At the end of the school year, Dawn was awarded the highest Citizenship award….The DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution). I received the runner-up DAR, but I finally bested when named the Student of the Year!. I owe the inspiration to Dawn.
During junior high and high school, we belonged to four social/dance clubs (by invitation only). Twelve dances were held annually at both the Hillcrest and Lubbock Country Clubs. Each student received a dance card to fill out. The prettiest girls had long lines of boys waiting to sign up. Dawn had the longest line of them all, despite being taller than most of the boys. I abstained. I had a fantasy, however. I wanted to ask Dawn to be my date for the Halloween Dance by going as the cartoon characters Boris and Natasha. It would have been fun, but I never got the nerve to do it. Lol
The next move was to Lubbock High School where we were selected to attend Honors Classes. Dawn again showed her superior intellect. The competition was stimulating and rewarding.
In 1961 Dawn was gifted a sports car. Imagine a Grace Kelly beauty, with wind-blown hair, tearing down city streets in a Fire-Engine Red Corvette Convertible, with white side panels, at all hours of the day and night. If there was anyone in Lubbock who was not familiar with Dawn before, they were now. Lol. It was rumored that Dawn was stopped by the police virtually every time she ventured out. She did have a “heavy foot,” but these were just rumors. It was also rumored that Dawn never paid any of her speeding tickets. Supposedly, every time she appeared before a judge, he took one look at her and dismissed the case. lol
Dawn brought so much joy to those around her. She will never be forgotten.
I’m writing this to reach out to Dawn’s family, my family. I am so very saddened to read of cousin Dawn’s passing. Dawn’s mother Patricia, my mother (Anne Joyce) and my Aunt Mary were so close that they referred to each other as “Sister”. Dawn also referred to my mom as “Sister” in the letters she wrote my mom after her own mom passed in 2011. Dawn came to see me and my mom in 2013 and I last spoke to Dawn in 2014 shortly before my mom passed. Dawn was a beauty inside and out, just like her mother. I reached out to Dawn in 2020 when Texas went into a deep freeze but could not get thru on her cell.
I can’t fully explain here, the loss I feel but, to Dawn’s family, if you ever heard Dawn talk about her mom and her mom’s “Sisters”, know how much Dawn meant to me.