Dawn Marie (Stanley) Walton

Dawn made her debut on March 13, 1959, in Bismarck, ND, to Lillian (Schneider) and Vernon Stanley. When Dawn was just three years old, the family moved to Seattle when her dad went to work for Boeing. The family settled in the Greenwood area of Seattle in the summer of 1967, and it was here that Dawn truly began to shine.

Throughout her school years, Dawn made many friends, especially through her involvement in the drama department at Ingraham High School. She graduated in 1977, and three years later, on August 30, 1980, she married Thomas Walton in a beautiful ceremony at St. John’s Catholic Church. Although their union did not last, it blessed her with the greatest joys of her life – her two sons, Pat and Jeff.

Dawn and her boys settled into a house in the Olympic Hills neighborhood, where the boys spent most of their school years. Despite being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the summer of 1976, Dawn fought hard to live a normal life and refused to be defined by her disease. However, after various attempts to keep her in her home, she made the difficult decision to move to a skilled nursing facility in the summer of 2003.

At first, the transition was extremely challenging, but Dawn’s fighting spirit prevailed. She eventually thrived in the nursing facility, enjoying various activities and assisting with party and event planning, drawing on her love of theater. Dawn also served on the Resident Council, fearlessly advocating for what she believed in. She became a Bingo Master, consistently winning most games, much to the chagrin of the other residents. Her motivation was always clear – the prizes were typically something sweet, and Dawn was known for having a voracious sweet tooth.

Throughout her life, Dawn faced many health challenges but always made a triumphant comeback. Our Broadway-loving girl knew that everyone loves a comeback story. Sadly, a flu bug hit her compromised immune system, and she left this world peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of January 7, 2026.

Dawn leaves behind the two loves of her life, her sons Patrick Walton and Jeffrey Walton, her mother Lillian Stanley, and her sister Karen Stanley, (all of Seattle, WA) along with many friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her father, Vernon Stanley. The curtain may have fallen on Dawn’s First Act, but we are comforted knowing that she is running and dancing in her Second Act.

A memorial Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Nursing and Rehabilitation located at 3540 NE 110th Street, Seattle 98125 on Friday, February 6th at 10:00am.