Dawn was born in Wilmington, Delaware on November 9th 1971 shortly after 5 am or at the break of dawn. She was due on the 8th, so she was just a little bit or fashionably late. Dawn was my first born baby girl or daughter. I had just turned 18 before she was born, so we set out on the difficult task of growing up together. She made the 'job' easy and fun. If there were ever an angel here on earth - it was my Dawn. She truly lit up my life and any room with her smile. She had a sensitive, kind, caring and loving nature - she never wanted anyone to be sad or hurt. She loved her family, friends, animals, school, sports, girl scouts, spaghetti, pizza, ice cream, the beach, music, and she even loved work!  She started working part time at a local Taco Bell when she was just 14.  She later worked at a local Shop Rite super market as a cashier.  After graduation, she began working at the Sears Beauty Salon, as a hairdresser working to build up a following in the career area she had chosen cosmetology. 

Although she had a brother and more cousins than she could even count - Dawn always wanted a sister. So when she was almost 4 years old, she got her wish. Her sister Laurie Rae was born about 2 weeks before her birthday. About 2 years later, their baby brother William 'Billy' Reese was born. We always lived in the northern New Castle County area and Dawn as well as the other children attended the New Castle County public schools. Dawn went to Castle Hills Elementary, Eisenberg Elementary, New Castle Middle School, and Delcastle Technical Vocational High School. Dawn also has an older brother Frank that resided in the Richmond, VA area until the early 90's when he moved to DE. We vacationed often in Virginia or Frank would spend time in DE with us before he moved to DE permanently. She was also active in the New Castle County Girls Little League Softball Teams as well as various Brownie & Girls Scout Troops. We spent every summer vacation, weekends and school breaks at the Holly Lake Campsites at Millsboro, DE. All of the children loved the family oriented activities that they offered there & looked forward to returning every summer. They had a Family Night every year with things for all members of the family to enjoy.  One was a hulla-hoop compitition.  Dawn was the undefeated champion.  Dawn had numerous buddies, she was very close with cousins Becky and Joey who were a year younger and older than her, so they always got along especially well and had a lot in common.  Dawn had several very close friends; Dawn Lewis, Laura Turner as well as numerous others.  But, Lisa Blevens (our neighbor her age) was always her closest and the best from kindergarten on...  She was always very close with her sister Laurie too.