Raymond Benjamin Lawson

Raymond Benjamin Lawson AIKEN – Mr. Raymond Benjamin Lawson, 88, of 34 Chappells Road, went to be home with Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior, on August 27, 2009. A memorial service will be held at the Shellhouse-Rivers Funeral Home, 715 Pine Log Road, Aiken, on September 5, 2009 at 11:00 AM. Interment with military honors will follow at Southlawn Cemetery, 4524 Whiskey Road, Aiken. Mr. Lawson was born in Morristown, NJ on July 21, 1921 to Alvin and Ida Lawson. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Kathryn Lawson, a sister Kathryn Mondrone of Ocala, FL, a son Raymond (Gale) Lawson of Aiken, a daughter JoAnn Lawson of Evans, GA, and three grandchildren; Ray J., Brandon, and Savannah Lawson of Aiken. He was preceded in death by brothers Alvin, Frank, Vernon, and Walter. Mr. Lawson grew up on a dairy farm in Clinton, NJ, developing a work ethic and passion for excellence that would serve him well during his lifetime. He attended Rutgers University for one year, majoring in Agriculture, and participating on the Boxing and Track teams, before enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps to serve the U.S. during WWII. He was in the 2nd Air Base Group and the 9th Bombardment Group, attaining the rank of Technical Sergeant. His duties included Flight Engineer, Bombardier, and Navigator in Central and South America. His awards included Army Air Corps Crew Wings, the Air Medal for Meritorious Achievement, the American Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, World War II Victory Medal, The American Campaign Medal, the Marksman Sharpshooter – Pistol-D qualification, and the Army Good Conduct Medal. He received an Honorable Discharge after being severely injured during his wartime service. Following WWII, he owned and operated Lawson’s Garage in Bloomsbury, NJ where he and brothers Vernon and Walter built and raced stock cars in the newly formed NASCAR organization. After selling Lawson’s Garage, to accommodate the construction of Interstate 78, he worked for and retired from the Ethyl Corporation in Flemington, NJ where he was employed as an electrician and shift maintenance mechanic. Mr. Lawson was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who will be deeply missed by all of his family and friends. He was a talented, creative, and practical person who spent much of his leisure time inventing, designing, and building mechanical tools and electronics devices. He enjoyed spending summers vacationing with family around the U.S., as well as boating and fishing on the Rideau Waterway in Ontario, Canada. A lifelong learner, he took courses on television repair, boiler licensing, and computers. In October 2008, he acknowledged and professed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, thereby securing his eternal future in Heaven. A gathering will be held at the residence of Raymond R. Lawson, 235 Old Tory Trail, Aiken, following the interment. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made in memory of Raymond Benjamin Lawson to either the: Wounded Warrior Project 7020 AC Skinner Pkwy Suite 100 Jacksonville, FL 32256 or to the USC Educational Foundation SeniorSMART Center 1600 Hampton Street, Suite 736 Gift Processing Columbia, SC 29208 To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Raymond Benjamin Lawson, please visit our flower store.