Joshua Dawson Ahalt

  Noted events in his life were:

• His obituary was published in The Frederick News-Post on 11 December 2018 in Frederick, MD.

Joshua Dawson Ahalt "Dawson" died on December 1 at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

Dawson is survived by his two children, Jonathan of Denver, Colorado, and Carol Cobb of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. There are four beloved grandchildren, Benton and Ava Ahalt of Denver, Amanda Cobb of Fort Worth, Texas, and Emily Cobb of Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Dawson Ahalt spent most of his career at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), serving as Acting or Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economics under several administrations, Democratic and Republican. A career civil servant, a brilliant man and charismatic leader and communicator, he was often called "the glue that holds USDA together" between administrations. He also worked for the Cost of Living Council during the Nixon administration. He worked as the Agricultural Attache to Argentina and later was posted in Rome, Italy. From 1992 to 1996, he held the USDA chair at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, where he taught economics and other courses. Dawson retired from the USDA. He later taught international business and economics at Hood College in Frederick. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts in Economics from the American University. He published a number of journal articles on a variety of agricultural issues.

Dawson was married to Harriet Ahalt for almost 49 years; she preceded him in death in 2012. They truly had a special relationship. They spent much of their free time working and playing on their property in Pleasant Valley. Dawson was an accomplished grape grower and wine maker. Dawson, along with his friend Dick Penna, was instrumental in fostering the robust wine community that now thrives in Western Maryland. He and Harriet restored a 19th century farmhouse down the road from their original property in the mid 1990s. Dawson was well-known for his interest in vintage farm machinery, owning many tractors and other pieces of equipment over the years.

Dawson was one of four children born to Guy and Helen Ahalt of Middletown.

He is survived by his three siblings, Diane Corson of Maui, Hawaii, Myron Ahalt of Middletown, Maryland, and Susan Ahalt of Aiken, South Carolina.

Interment will be private. The family plans a celebration of Dawson's life in the Spring. In lieu of flowers, friends are urged to consider a donation to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition or Hospice of Frederick County.

(Source: The Frederick News-Post, 11 Dec 2018, Frederick MD)
------------------------------------------------
.

Joshua married Harriet about 1969. (Harriet was born about 1936 and died in 2012.)