Rex Morgan DeLawyer

On Feb. 8, 2015, one very exceptional son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend turned in his log truck keys and left this world to embrace his Heavenly Father. Rex Morgan DeLawyer was born on May 13, 1958, in Santa Barbara, Calif., the first child of George Junior DeLawyer and Barbara Evelyn Pease DeLawyer. In the early 1970s, the family, which now included sisters Jeannie and Rebecca, moved to Klamath Falls, where Rex's dad began a new career as a long haul truck owner/operator. Throughout his teen years, Rex became quite proficient at working on and maintaining his father's rigs and equipment. He developed a love for trucking and, as soon as he acquired enough experience behind the wheel of his dad's truck, set out on his own and got his first job driving log trucks for Gerald Johnson Logging. In 1982, Rex married Linda Lee and together they raised two beautiful children. Rex drove many types of trucks over the years, but his passion was logging. Being in the woods gave him a sense of peace and freedom and in 2004 he became an owner/operator when he purchased his own log truck. If he wasn't enjoying time with his kids, he was driving or working on his log truck. He loved talking to and spending time with his trucking "Brothers," chewing the fat at the Klamath Grill or Casey's Restaurant. Seeing his new grandson come into the world last spring and continuing to tease and spoil his 6-year-old granddaughter completed his dreams. In the spring of 2014, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer and underwent surgery to remove his right kidney and gall bladder. He was told he would make a complete recovery and for nine months he resumed his work and enjoyed his family, friends, and church life once again. But Christmas 2014 brought another devastating diagnosis. The kidney cancer had spread to his lungs and this time he was told it was terminal. He spent his last weeks being thankful for his life, family, and the good friends the Lord had blessed him with along the way. Rex was a gracious Christian man who truly walked the walk. He leaves behind his mother, Barbara; his wife of 32 years, Linda; amazing children, Joshua (Anna) DeLawyer and Katie (Terry) Brown; adopted daughters, Danielle Diaz and Bethany Burgess; beautiful grandchildren, Brooklynne and Grayson; and adopted grandson, Kyle; sister, Jeannie (Justin) Fitzgerald; precious nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews; his Sunday lunch buddy, Carl Ray Williams; and his many dear trucking "Brothers." He was preceded in death by his grandparents; father, George; and sister, Rebecca. If you would like to come and participate in a celebration of Rex's life, there will be a memorial service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, with a luncheon following at New Horizon Christian Fellowship Church, 1909 Homedale Road. Memorial contributions can be made in Rex's name to Basin Youth For Christ, P.O. Box 557, Malin, OR. 97632.