Donald Lawrence

1951 - 2026

Donald Lawrence
January 8, 2026
Donald B. Lawrence of Branford, died Thursday January 8, 2026 at Yale-New Haven Hospital after a long illness. He was the beloved husband of Betty Lawrence. Donald was born on January 25, 1951 in Portsmouth, NH, a son of the late Woodbury and Frances Woods Lawrence. He was a 1970 graduate of Branford High School, where he played on the football, basketball and baseball teams. Don spent many years working as the shipping supervisor for Milford Products in Branford before continuing his career as a product manager for Navtec in Guilford. Don did a lot of volunteer work, especially with the Branford Little League as longtime coach, commissioner and board member for over 45 years. He was instrumental in building Sliney Fields and the concession stand, and he proudly founded the Branford Jr. Hornets baseball program. He served as the athletic director for many years at the former St. Mary School (East Shoreline Catholic Academy) in Branford. He was inducted into the Branford Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, and was also recognized by St. Mary School for all of his years of service to the school. In addition to baseball, he loved to garden; if he wasn't at the baseball field you could find him in his garden. He was a proud and devoted father, faithfully following his two sons throughout their baseball journeys, and when his son Justin became a high school coach, Don never missed a game. For many years, he would take daily rides with his dog Barkley around the town he loved and check out the baseball fields. In addition to Betty, Don is survived by his sons and their families, Christopher and Shelley and their children Avery and Nora, and Justin and Ashley Azevedo and their children Liana and Liv. He was predeceased by his brother Joseph Lawrence. He took immense pride in being a grandfather of four and loved each of his granddaughters dearly.
Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours on Saturday January 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with a service at 12:00, at the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main Street, Branford. For directions and an online memorial see www.wsclancy.com.