Harry Lawson, 86, of Corvallis, and a former Baker City resident, died Nov. 3, 2000, at his home.
His funeral was Friday at Kings Circle Assembly of God Church. Pastor Kerry McRoberts officiated. Interment was at Twin Oaks Memorial Park in Albany.
Mr. Lawson was born Feb. 18, 1914, at Bayfield, Colo., to Harry and Mary (Shoemaker) Lawson. As a teenager he moved to Oregon, where he met and married the love of his life, Grace Lucille Conn. They were married June 15, 1932, at Coquille. He worked in timber-related jobs and also did radio repair.
Mr. Lawson served in the U.S. Army during World War II and also served three years in the Army Reserve. From then until his retirement he was a building contractor, working mostly with masonry. During those years he and his wife lived in Buena Vista and at Bandon. He actively participated in his local church both before and after his retirement, including Sunday school, board of deacons, teaching and in the building of new churches in both Bandon and Baker City.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawson’s retirement years were spent in Redmond, Granite, Baker City and Corvallis. A special highlight of their retirement was building an A-frame cabin on 22 wooded acres near Granite, where they lived for 16 years. “Lawson Mountain” was a fun gathering place for family and friends.
It also provided Mr. Lawson a place to pursue many of the things he enjoyed, such as hiking, geology, nature study, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, panning for gold and interacting with the wild birds and animals.
Mr. Lawson is survived by his wife of more than 68 years, Grace L. Lawson of Corvallis; his sons, Fritz Lawson of Desert Hot Springs, Calif., Harry Lawson III of Auburn, Wash., David Lawson of Everett, Wash., and Danford Lawson of Corvallis; a daughter, Dollie Culbertson of Auburn; a sister, Ethel Jimerfield of Redmond; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 3 great-greatgrandchildren.
Mr. Lawson was preceded in death by a sister and a granddaughter.
Contributions in Mr. Lawson’s memory may be made to the Harry Lawson Memorial Fund at the Kings Circle Assembly of God church, in care of DeMoss-Durdan Garden Chapel, 815 NW Buchanan, Corvallis, Ore., 97330.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 10, 2000
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor