Thomas R. Lawson

BREWSTER —

Thomas Rogers Lawson, 90, died Saturday, June 14, 2008, at Epoch of Brewster, where he had been an assisted-living resident for the past two years.

He was active in many civic activities in Brewster since he became a resident in 1973. He was a longtime parishioner and lector at St. Joan of Arc Church, Orleans.

He was married for more than 50 years to the former Nan Flaherty of Rockville, Conn., who predeceased him in 1999. In 1973, they took early retirement from teaching careers and moved to Brewster, where they pursued an active life on Cape Cod working as volunteers at Cape Cod Hospital and as docents at the windmill in the Drummer Boy Park as well as boating, golfing, and entertaining family and many friends. He was a driver for the FISH Volunteer Service, transporting persons to medical appointments.

His parents were the late Walter and Elaine Lawson of Kissimmee, Fla. He was born on June 25, 1917, in Montgomery, Ala., where his father was serving in the National Guard. He spent most of his youth in Kissimmee.

Tom graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point with the Class of 1941, and served during World War II in training commands before being assigned overseas duty in India. Tom was awarded the Bronze Star for the performance of his duties in India and was promoted to the rank of major.

After being medically discharged from the Army in 1945, he spent a brief period with the Shell Oil Co. before embarking on his life's work as a high school mathematics teacher and guidance counselor in Willimantic, Conn., and as a child psychologist in the West Hartford school system. In 2005, the Windham High School Class of 1955 established a scholarship in his name recognizing the significant influence he had on the lives of his many students.

While living in Connecticut, he served as president of the Windham Education Association; president of the Connecticut Association of School Psychologists; and member and secretary of the Mansfield (Conn.) Planning and Zoning Commission. He was chairman of a groundbreaking state advisory board on teacher certification.

Tom was active in many outdoor sports and served for a time as the secretary of the Connecticut Field Trial Association. Many of his children's fondest childhood memories are of summer fishing trips to Poverty Island in Long Island Sound.

In Brewster, he served as president of the planning board; chairman of the industrial development financing authority; and on a variety of study commissions. He helped found IRATE, an organization that challenged the electric rates being charged to Cape Cod customers of Consolidated Edison.

Tom was one of the early members of the Orleans Coffee Club and was active in the Cape Cod Men's Club. He was a charter member of the Captain's Course Golf Club in Brewster and celebrated his 90th birthday with a round with his son and daughter-in-law.

Tom was the last surviving member of his family's generation, having been predeceased by his sister, Elaine, and a brother, Walter, and Walter's wife, Janet.

He is survived by his daughter, Nan Munck, and her husband, Philip, of Somersworth, N.H.; and son Thomas R. Lawson Jr. and his wife, Amey, of Haverhill, Mass.; five grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. His grandchildren are Victoria Lawson, Patrick Lawson, Thomas R. Lawson III, Michael Munck, and Catherine (Munck) Batsford. His great-grandchildren are Amanda and Jason Smith; Patrick, Jack and Katelyn Lawson; Zoe and Kira Lawson; Hannah Munck; and Bridget and Donald Batsford.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, June 18, at 10 a.m. at St. Joan of Arc Church, 61 Canal Road, Orleans. Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Doane, Beal & Ames Funeral Home, 729 Route 134, South Dennis. Burial will be in the Massachusetts National Cemetery, Bourne.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the WHS Class of 55 Scholarship Award Fund, c/o Betty Ann Freeman, 25 Edgarton Road, Columbia, CT 06237. The fund awards a scholarship in Tom's honor "to a graduating senior who exemplifies high ethical standards, leadership abilities, respect for others, service to school and community, and who has participated in extracurricular activities, shown academic improvement in his/her high school career and plans to further his/her education."

Online condolences may be left at www.mem.com.

Doane, Beal & Ames

508-385-7116