Gary Lawson

Gary Lawson was the sort of man who was ready to give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He was stubbornly independent, and while he could sometimes be considered bullheaded as a result, Gary was open-minded and refrained from judging others. He was the kind of man who would give it to you straight rather than telling what you wanted to hear. Fun-loving, with a wicked sense of humor, Gary was a caring father, grandfather, brother and uncle who took great pride in his family and only ever wanted the best for them.

In 1957, rock and roll ruled the day. Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis dominated the charts, and Dick Clarks American Bandstand began broadcasting the newest pop music sensations to homes across the country. It was a time of rapid social and cultural change, and technology was evolving rapidly. With the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, the Soviet Union took an early lead in the space race. In Florida, construction began on the Daytona International Speedway, and on October 27, Bud Baker became the first driver to win back-to-back NASCAR championships. Just one day earlier, on October 26, 1957, David and C. Betty Lawson welcomed the birth of a son, Gary, in Anderson, Indiana.

Gary was the youngest in the family, growing up with three older siblings: Linda, David Rick, and Michael. He was a typical boy who grew up playing in the neighborhood with his friends, occasionally getting into mischief. Gary always enjoyed visiting his familys cottage just north of Columbia City at Big Lake. After graduating from Anderson High School with the class of 1976, he moved up near Big Lake in Noble County. Gary would end up spending most of his life in the area around Columbia City and Big Lake.

It was at Big Lake where he met Cindy Pease. The couple got married and had two daughters, Alethea and Stefanie. After Gary and Cindy divorced, he met Cheryl Green at work in Syracuse and eventually became a father to two more daughters, Ellesha and Kary.

Gary had worked a few jobs before working for Dana in Syracuse, but much of his working life was spent there. He was with the company for 28 years until the plant closed. Gary went on to work at Bosch in Albion, and for the past few years had been a welder and fabricator at Warsaw Machinery, Inc.

Gary had a number of interests. He loved dogs, and enjoyed being out on the lake and riding his jet skis. Gary enjoyed all kinds of racing, but was a huge NASCAR fan and Tony Stewart was his favorite driver. He was such a fan of racing that he had four go-karts and developed a track around his property where he would race family, friends, and neighbors. Gary and his daughters enjoyed racing each other, but nobody got a free pass. He was very competitive and wouldnt just let his daughters beat him if you were going to beat Gary, you would have to earn it! Gary found other outlets for his competitive nature in poker and bowling. He was a great bowler, with an average over 200, and in addition to his league play would travel to participate in numerous tournaments.

Gary also liked fixing things and tinkering around. He remodeled his home, and helped others with their own remodeling projects. He enjoyed being on his Kubota tractor and took great pride in working in his garden to make his home look great. He enjoyed spending time at The Hilltop, where he could eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner with his friends, or just stop in for one of their corndogs that he loved so much. More than anything, Gary was a fun guy who loved pranks. Once when his daughters were having a sleepover, he removed the blade from his chainsaw and chased the girls around! The girls were frightened at the time, but years later theyd all laugh together remembering the story.

Gary passed unexpectedly on Saturday morning, August 13, 2016, just three weeks after his sister Linda passed. He leaves behind a large extended family to carry on his legacy. He will never be forgotten, and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives he touched.

Gary D. Lawson, 58, of Columbia City, passed away Saturday, August 13, 2016 at his home near Big Lake. He is survived by his daughters, Alethea Lawson, of Columbia City, Stefanie (Quimby McCoy) Lawson, of Columbia City, Ellesha (Andy) Hughes, of Warsaw and Kary (Trent) Lawson, of Columbia City; brothers, Rick (Vicki) Lawson, of Albion and Michael (Vicky) Lawson Sr., of Ligonier; grandchildren, Alexis, Isabella, Izaiah, Cameron, Lillyn, Lincoln and Jaxson; nieces and nephews, Michelle (Paul) Schuyler, Donald (Jeni) Ferguson, Melissa (Kevin Creamer) Pleeger, Melody (Scott) Buckles and Christopher (Jenny) Lawson; a special friend, Connie Chaney, of Big Lake; his cat, Pest; and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Linda Stevens on July 22, 2016; and his nephew, Michael Lawson Jr.

Visitation is Thursday, August 18, 2016 from 2-6 p.m. with a funeral service to follow at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. His family will be conducting and sharing their memories of Gary at this time. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana. To read Garys life story or to send his family condolences, visit www.demoneygrimes.com .