Dawn’s Story

Dawn Leverett, age 57, was released from her earthly burdens on May 3rd, following a courageous journey with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). She was at home in West Seattle, surrounded by family, friends, and her beloved terrier, Milo.

Born in San Angelo, Texas, Dawn grew up in the town of Grand Prairie, where she was raised by a loving extended family that included her parents, stepparents, and maternal grandparents. Kind, adventurous, and deeply empathetic, Dawn formed lasting bonds early in life — especially with her cousins Carla and Cori, who became like sisters. A spirited and involved student, Dawn was a Girl Scout, pianist, dancer, and active member of her church youth group. In junior high, she received the DAR Citizenship Award and was elected student council president. In 1988, she earned the cherished title of Miss Grand Prairie.

Professionally, Dawn lived two vibrant careers. She spent 14 years at American Airlines as a flight attendant, instructor, and leader. She loved the pace and purpose of flying, especially working the front of the plane, “where you were busy the whole time.” She relished the opportunity to travel the world and form lifelong friendships. She developed the people skills, resilience, and grace under pressure that became hallmarks of her life, and she received many well-earned awards for her contributions. Dawn’s time at American shaped her deeply, and it was there she met several of her dearest friends, including her best friend of 35 years, Danny Perez.

After flying, Dawn transitioned into real estate, where she thrived as a respected and successful broker for over two decades, first with Windermere in the West Seattle Junction and ultimately at Ensemble. She cherished the rhythm and variation of the work: every day was a new day and a new opportunity. Her passion was fueled by the value she felt in her roles as both guide and protector. She took pride in helping people find the right home, in every sense of the word, and she loved that real estate allowed her to define her own version of success.

Dawn gave freely of her time, energy, and resources —not for recognition, but because generosity was simply part of who she was.

She engaged with the community through the West Seattle Chamber of Commerce, ArtsWest (where she was a longtime board member, board chair, and recipient of the Alhadeff-Consguard Volunteer Award), the Westside Professionals BNI Chapter (which she founded), and the Center for Active Living. She was also honored with the West Seattle Chamber Lifetime Achievement Award. Sunday afternoons were reserved for her Sit and Cackle social clutch.

Dawn lived with unmistakable style, deep integrity, and a demonstrated love for beauty, nature, and connection. Her travels took her all over the world and she delighted in visiting new places. In September 18 friends joined her on a cruise to Alaska, leaving quite the impact on the small ship.

Life in the Pacific Northwest turned her into an outdoors enthusiast. She embraced cycling, golfing, scooting, running, paddleboarding, and exploring every corner of the region. Dawn savored good food and good company. She was famous for her dinner parties, Pride celebrations, and impeccable taste. Life, she often said, was too short to drink bad wine or bad coffee.

Dawn had many loves throughout her life, and she took commitment seriously. When she loved, she loved big — with her whole heart. Her capacity for connection was profound, and she brought intentionality and grace to every relationship she entered.

Dawn was loyal, quick-witted, and always there to support others through hard times. She had a gift for making people feel seen and accepted, and her sense of humor and compassion never left her — even in the most challenging stages of her illness. She still loved to laugh, play Skip-Bo, and maintain the perfect “buzz.”

And she never met a dog she didn’t like! Dawn had many of her own over the years, but Milo and Maddie held a special place in her heart. She once took selfies with 92 different dogs before deciding to stop — out of loyalty to Milo, who was the last and best of them all.

Dawn faced her MSA diagnosis with extraordinary courage. She was not interested in victimhood, and she never let the illness define her. Instead, she became even more intentional — turning anxiety into purpose, and limitation into clarity. Dawn never stopped worrying about the comfort of the people around her. She lived with elegance, presence, and joy, even when her body began to fail. She transformed the lives of those who loved her — not just in how she lived, but in how she let go.

She is survived by her parents, Jean Wilson Meyer (Jim Meyer) and Gary Leverett (Tanya Leverett); her extended family Mike Meyer (Nancy), Lisa Meyer, Lynda Leverett, June Leverett, Dan Carey, June and Glenn Zauber, Carla Brand (Barry), Cori Dossett; her chosen “framily” and Milo.

Dawn didn’t subscribe that idea that things needed to be complicated to be special. She held that life was best lived with a good book, a warm dog, and a full table.

In her final moments, she offered one salient piece of advice on living well:

“Be nice to each other.”