William L. Lawson, Jr.

William Lemuel Lawson Jr.

William (Bill) Lemuel Lawson Jr. 80, of Temple Terrace, and a cabin on Lake Wylie, SC, passed away on July 7, 2013, while scuba diving off of Cayman Brac. He was born on March 18, 1933 in New Orleans, LA, a son of the late William Lemuel and Frances Ligon Lawson. Bill, as he was called by his friends, spent his early years in New Orleans. The family moved to Charlotte, NC, in 1940. Bill earned his high school degree from Central High School in 1953, and went on to earn his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University in 1956. His first job out of college was with PPG in Pittsburgh, PA. While living in Pittsburgh, he met his wife, Lynne Hough, at a church function in 1957. They were married on Aug. 16, 1958, and moved to Temple Terrace in 1959. There, he became a successful sales engineer for the General Electric Corporation. Bill worked 33 years with GE and retired in 1992. He was an active member of Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church, serving as a Sunday school teacher, Youth Leader, and as an Elder of the church. Bill was an active member of the Tampa Seaport Sertoma Club, currently serving as Treasurer. In his retirement, he became a very active member of Suncoast Scuba Club, and participated in many dive excursions around the world. Bill is survived by his brother, David Ligon Lawson; his sister, Tay Lawson Coan; his three sons, William III of Charlotte, NC, Douglas of Riverview, & John of Gainesville, and their wives, Elizabeth, Chandra, Tammy, and their children, Jackie, Sammi, Katie, Corey, Alyssa, John, Sarah; and great-grandson, T. J. Adams. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lynne in 2012. A service to celebrate Bill's life will be held Aug. 3rd, at 1 pm at Temple Terrace Presbyterian Church, 820 Bullard Parkway, Temple Terrace. Memorial contributions may be made to Temple Terrace Presbyterian Choir Scholarship fund (contact 813 988 3514 for more information). Harry and Bryant Co., Charlotte, NC is serving the family. Condolences may be offered at: www.HarryandBryantFuneralHome.com.