of Conway, AR
January 26, 1929 - August 25, 2018
John "Jack" Harlen Lawyer, age 89, went into the arms of Jesus on August 25, 2018. A dedicated man of God and retired Church of Christ minister, he was also an extraordinary husband, father, and grandfather.
Jack was born on January 26, 1929 in Blackwater, Missouri. He grew up in that area and moved to Searcy, Arkansas to attend Harding College. He graduated in August, 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree. While he was at Harding, he met Carolyn Stuart. They were married on May 18, 1952. They had one daughter, Susan. In 1983, Jack became a grandpa to Jacqueline "Jackie" Maples. He was so delighted to have his grand-daughter named after him.
Jack taught school and also worked at Lone Star Steel for several years while serving at small congregations in East Texas before accepting a position as full time minister. His first congregation was in Longview, Texas. He also preached in congregations in Talco and Bonham, Texas, Ruston, Louisiana, Pine Bluff, Dardanelle, New Blaine, and Plumerville, Arkansas.
Jack and Carolyn served in ministry until 2014. Carolyn passed away in July, 2016 and Jack came to live with Susan and her husband, Dave. He was a joy to take care of and quickly earned the name of "Daddy Jack" by Susan and Dave's friends. He lived out the rest of his days at Casa Whittenberg, until Jesus came to take him home.
Jack will be remembered by all his family and friends as a witty, kind, devoted, faithful, tender, people-loving man of God. He will be missed tremendously.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents, Stephen and Olive (Leathers) Lawyer, his brothers: Bob, Dean, Ray, Doug, Virgil, Vernon, and Ken Lawyer and his sisters: Roberta Mitchell, Mary Jo Ross, and Lois Conn.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan (Dave) Whittenberg, and grand-daughter Jackie (Max) Hollis of Conway. He also leaves behind Pepper, the family cat who was Jack's buddy.
Memorials can be made to Prince Street Church of Christ in Conway, AR or the Faulkner County Humane Society.
A memorial service is planned for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, September 9 at Four Winds Church in Conway, AR. Friends and family are encouraged to attend and celebrate a life well lived.
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2 Condolence(s)
Mike Haynes
Sunday, September 2, 2018
I am so sorry to hear of brother Lawyer's passing. I had the honor of knowing him when I was growing up in Talco, Texas, in the early 1960s.
He was very instrumental in my decision to attend college at Harding.
Besides being a wonderful minister of the gospel, he was always positive and upbeat. I can still hear his wonderful laugh! His laugh was like Santa Claus: when he laughed, he laughed all over!
When my sister, Ramona, and I asked him to speak at our mother's funeral, he replied, "I would be honored."
May your hearts be filled with memories of this wonderful man.
with love,
Mike Haynes
Charlene Elizabeth Jones (Formerly Baugh)
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Susan, Jackie, Dave and Max ~Just finding out still in shock. I thought he was going in for a a somewhat simple surgery. I am brokenhearted and cant express the depth of my sympathy to each of you. I loved Jack as a father, having lost my own when I was 11.
There will never a kinder gentler soul that walked this earth than Jack and I adored him and loved Carolyn. Having the Lawyer family in my life has been one of God's greatest gifts to me.
I know he is walking the golden streets. I know it is what he worked for his entire life. But dear God, please help the rest of us to deal with the pain of living with the giant hole left in our hearts with him gone. I love you all.