Gerald Dodson Mathias, 93, of The Pines in Davidson, passed away peacefully on November 27, 2023. He was born on March 6, 1930 in Barco, NC to the late Adrian Mathias and Hilda Mathias. He was preceded in death by Marvourleen Mathias in December 2020 and is survived by son, Jonathan Grant Mathias of Tallahassee, FL, sister, Doris Ferebee of Atlanta, GA as well as many nieces and nephews.

Dodson attended school in Currituck County and graduated from Moyock High School in 1948. While in high school, Dodson joined the Boy Scouts and became an Eagle Scout in 1948. After graduation, he attended Wake Forest College (now University). He enlisted in the US Coast Guard (after his junior year of college) and returned to Wake Forest in January 1954, marrying Marvourleen Winslow in August 1954. After he and Marviourleen were married, Dodson finished college, graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1955. He was a member of Theta Chi fraternity, Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity (business fraternity) and an honorary membership in the WS chapter of Beta Gamma Sigma. Following college, Dodson went to work for Wachovia Bank and Trust Company in 1955 as a management trainee. Dodson spent his entire career in banking operations; first in Winston-Salem, then transferring to the Raleigh office and then back to Winston-Salem. During the 1970s, Dodson worked on a test force to develop operating rules and procedures for the NC Automated Clearing House Association with the first electronic transaction to the Charlotte Federal Reserve Bank on 7/6/1976. After that, Dodson worked on the automatic deposit of payroll and preauthorized debits. Dodson was active in the Bank Administration Institute, having held many positions finally becoming the chairman of the District Director's council of the Bank Administration Institute as well as serving on the national board of directors. For several years, Dodson was an instructor for the Bank Administration Institute, teaching principles of bank operations to all banks, not just Wachovia.

Dodson and Marvourleen moved to Miami, FL in 1982 when Dodson joined Southeast Bank as an EVP of Operations where he was involved with the Red Cross, United Way, and the Boy Scouts. During his time at Southeast Bank, the bank partnered with several other financial institutions in Florida to form an organization referred to an Honor where ATM card holders could bank at places other than their home bank. This was considered a very big change in the financial world.

Dodson continued his service with the Boy Scouts by serving as president of the South Florida Boy Scout Council, Dodson became a member of the BSA Order of the Arrow Lodge. Dodson and Marvourleen returned to Charlotte, NC in 1991 where he finished his banking career with First Union National Bank, retiring in 1999.

Upon their return to Charlotte, Dodson served on the executive board of the Mecklenburg County Council of BSA. It was during this time that the Hornet's Nest Lodge recognized Dodson with the Vigil Honor. Dodson served on the Advisory Council of both the Southern Region and Mecklenburg County Councils up until the time of his passing.

Dodson attended several Boy Scout national jamborees and a world jamboree (2019), receiving the Silver Beaver recognition from the South Florida Council and the Silver Antelope award from the BSA Southern Region. In all his years with the Boy Scouts, Dodson only missed one jamboree in 2005.

A funeral service to be held at 10am Nov. 30 at James Funeral Home.