12:50pm Tuesday 7th July 2009
By Nafeesa Shan
AN advertising and graphic design guru has died after a long battle with illness, aged 68.
John Dawson, set up the advertising business Scott Dawson Advertising, in Billington Road, Burnley, 27 years ago.
The father-of-three moved to East Lancashire from Scotland after marrying his childhood sweetheart Kay Cumming.
His son Murray, who took on the family business in 1991, said: “My Dad was a strong character of great integrity.
"Kind and witty, he was always ready for a chat, and had a warm and generous spirit, which drew people to him.
“He loved hats, ties and pens. He was a shopaholic and always dragged my mother out shopping.
"He loved buying for others though, but his gifts were often unconventional.
“For one birthday, he bought mum a purple kettle, and could not understand why it was not appreciated.
“Dad was also an awful whistler – tone deaf – and nobody ever knew what he was whistling, but this didn’t stop him.
“His passion for his work was his driving force.”
John, who moved to Hapton from Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, built up the business with Peter Scott who he had worked freelance for from 1973.
He often worked 24 hours a day to secure new clients and moved into St James Street, Burnley.
Scott Dawson Advertising is now one of the largest agencies in East Lancashire and has 70 employees on its 40,000sq ft premises.
Murray added: “He took pride in his achievements throughout his career, and was loved and respected by all of his colleagues.
“However, John always acknowledged that his great-est gift and achievement was his family. John was devoted to and deeply loved by all of his family.”
He leaves wife Kay, children Tammy, Lorrie and Murray and grandchildren James, Callum, Hannah, Abi, Louis, Torin and Aoife.
Mike Damms, chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, said: “Scott Dawson has been around a long time and John’s is one of the most recognis-able faces in East Lancashire.
“They have been ambitious and supported other projects in area.
“We know Murray and send our sympathies to the family.”
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