Obituary for Hanley Dawson III – RANCHO MIRAGE

On May 28, 2024, Hanley Dawson III, 80, of Ketchum, Idaho, passed away at Eisenhower Hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. His wife of 58 years, Catherine (Swanson), and his four children were at his bedside.

Born on June 1, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan, he met his sweetheart, Cathie, during his freshman year at Regis College in Denver, Colorado. She attended the sister school, Loretto Heights College. The two married in 1965 and lived in Detroit, Michigan, before moving to Chicago, Illinois, in 1971 to open Hanley Dawson Cadillac in downtown Chicago with his father, Hanley Jr. In 1976, Hanley III went out on his own and founded the Patrick Dealer Group, which is now one of Chicago's leading luxury car groups.

In addition to being a successful entrepreneur, Hanley was a committed Catholic and supporter of Jesuit education. He served on the board of trustees of Regis College and the board of trustees of Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois, where his two sons and three grandchildren graduated and two of them are currently students. His philanthropic spirit spread to the Wood River Valley in Ketchum, Idaho, where he and Cathie retired twelve years ago after living there since 1972. He led the fundraising campaign to build the new Our Lady of the Snows Church in 2007 and served on the finance committee for many years. He was a longtime supporter and board member of St. Luke's Hospital in the Wood River Valley and was a volunteer and donor to the Hunger Coalition.

More than anything, Hanley loved his family and friends and cherished every opportunity to golf, duck hunt, ski and travel with the people he loved.

He leaves behind his wife Cathie, his children Megan Edwards (Chris), Hanley IV (Bridget), Liz Prior, Patrick (Tami) and his grandchildren Alex, Emilie, Duke, Sarah, Charlie, Mimi and Alton.

A celebration of life will be held in Sun Valley, Idaho, in July. Since Hanley's priority was finding joy in life and sharing it with others, the family asks that you do the same – get out there and do something that brings you real joy and share it with your friends and family.

Instead of flowers:

St. Luke's Wood River Foundation

www.slwrf.org

Hospice and Palliative Care of the Wood River Valley

www.hpcwrv.org