William Lawson

A man of honor, courage, and unending love for his family, William Lawson was a blessing to everyone he met. He worked hard, but he played hard, too, and he loved heading out on on Muskegon Lake board his boat in the company of his children and grandchildren. Life was not without times of trial for Bill, but he faced whatever came his way head on with both integrity and strength. A lifelong member of the community he loved, he will be deeply missed while the memories he leaves behind remain a lasting treasure for years to come. During the first half of the 1940s, the eyes of our nation were focused overseas as WWII raged on. Countless young servicemen and women were serving in the war effort while those who remained stateside became familiar with rationing on common goods and planted victory gardens to lessen the demand on the nations food supply. With the end of WWII in 1945, there was celebrating in the streets, and those who were called to serve returned home. It was as we were transitioning to becoming a nation at peace once again that Palmer and Ellen (Dean) Lawson were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as winter held Western Michigan firmly in its grip in February of 1947. The big day finally arrived when the baby boy they named William Dale drew his first breath on February 26th. He was the oldest of three children in his family as he was raised alongside his brother, Jim, and his sister, Shirley. In many ways, Bill, as he was usually known, experienced an upbringing that was typical for the youth of his generation. He could often be found outside playing with the neighborhood kids, usually involved in one sport or another. Bill attended local schools including Caledonia High School where he played on the basketball team. After graduating from high school, Bill joined the United States Marine Corps. He spent three years in the military altogether, and much of that time was spent in Vietnam. Bills time there greatly affected him, and he rarely spoke of his experiences while in the military. With his military duties fulfilled, Bill returned to Muskegon where he began working at Brunswick. He made an entire career there, working in a variety of positions on the bowling ball line. Bill eventually advanced to becoming a group leader. He spent 38 years with Brunswick until retiring in 2004. New and exciting changes were in store for Bill when he met and married Katherine Schaub in the early 1970s. Together they were blessed with the births of two sons, Randy in 1973 and Gary in 1975. Although their marriage ended in divorce after seven years, Bill was forever grateful for the children they shared. Bill loved having fun with his boys. Many of their best times were spent on his 19 foot Four Winns speed boat. They loved heading out on the water, often waterskiing on Bear Lake. While his sons were growing up, Bill coached their baseball teams on the East Muskegon Little League for several years, always producing winning teams. With the birth of his grandchildren, Bill was a new man. It was easy to see that he adored them, and he loved spending every moment with them that he could. He was known to pick them up from school and then take them to McDonalds or Wesco for a treat. In addition, there were many Sunday morning breakfasts outings with his grandsons, too. Bills greatest desire was to know that they were well taken care of. For this reason, he set up bank accounts for each of them and made regular deposits. Throughout his life Bill was a man of many interests. For years he was on several bowling leagues, and he was also a proud member of VFW Post 446. Bill was proud of his military service and almost always wore a hat or some other form of clothing that showed that he was a proud Marine. Although he never played any instruments, Bill was a lover of all kinds of music. Whether on the radio in the car or on his stereo at home, there was usually something playing. Bill was a sports fan who loved watching games on television - so much so that he would often cut events short to get home to watch a game. A fan of the Tigers, he kept a scorepbook of the team for years. Bills spirit of generosity spread far and wide as he donated to charities in Africa to help raise orphans there for over 20 years. Over the years, Bill suffered with some health issues. In the late nineties, he had a heart attack and eventually underwent bypass surgery in 2012. A recent back surgery really slowed him down, his body started growing weak, and he was unable to recover. Hardworking, resilient, and strong are just a few of the words that describe William Lawson. He was never one to worry about what he had, rather, his focus was on what he could give to those around him. There was nothing that Bill treasured more than spending time with his family, and it was easy to see that his grandchildren were the light of his life. Deeply loved, he will be forever missed. William D. Lawson died on Friday, October 16, 2015. Bills family includes his sons, Randy (Chantele) Lawson of Norton Shores, Gary (Paulette) Lawson of Muskegon; grandchildren, Kyla, Kennadi, Kyle, Tyler, Emma & Jordan; and sister, Shirley (Julian) Kinnucan of Norton Shores. Bill was preceded in death by his brother, Jim. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2015, 1:00 p.m. with visitation starting at noon at the Clock Chapel - Muskegon with Rev. Jerry DePoy officiating and Military Honors.