Obituary - Dawson B "Tack" Nail
The Washington Post
By — Lauren Wiseman, Published: April 14
Dawson B “Tack” Nail, 82, executive editor of Warren Communications News’
Television Digest and Communications Daily when he retired in 2003, died
March 25 of brain trauma suffered after falling down the stairs at his Falls
Church home.
Mr. Nail joined Television Digest in 1964 as a reporter, and during his
four-decade career, served as a vice president of the company. When he first
moved to Washington in 1955, he was a reporter for Broadcasting Magazine.
He was born was born in Greenfield, Okla., and raised in Guthrie, Okla.,
in the Masonic Home orphanage. He was a 1950 graduate of Southwestern
Oklahoma State University and received a master’s degree in journalism from
Oklahoma State University in 1955.
He served in the Army during the Korean War, and his military decorations
included the Bronze Star Medal.
In 1995 he received the National Association of Broadcasters’ Spirit of
Broadcasting Award. He was a past D.C. chapter president of the Society of
Professional Journalists, and his memberships included the Broadcasters
Foundation of America and the National Press Club.
His wife of 13 years, the former Joye Hough, died in 1970. A daughter
from the first marriage, Susan L. Nail, died in 1960.
Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Joann Gillispie Nail of Falls
Church; four children from his first marriage, Charles Peter Nail of North
Augusta, S.C., Thomas D. Nail of Grain Valley, Mo., Penny N. Hoelting of
Arlington and Gaye N. Lins of Fairfax Station; two stepchildren, Cynthia
Pryor of Sperryville, Va., and Douglas Cumins of Aldie, Va.; a sister; a
brother; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
— Lauren Wiseman