John Caton Lawrence III

John Caton Lawrence III (57) of North Ferrisburgh passed away peacefully at the University of Vermont Medical Center on January 5, 2026, with his family by his side, after an unexpected medical event on December 31, 2025.
John was born on August 7, 1968, in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to Irene (Santos) Lawrence and John Lawrence Jr. He moved to Vermont at the age of 15 and later received his GED. He was employed at the Vermont Teddy Bear Company, where he worked seasonally in the art and embroidery room for nearly 20 years-a job he truly loved.
John lived for his children and devoted his time to them in every way possible. No distance was ever too far; he would drive to Ohio for a weekend just to pick them up and do it all again at the end of the weekend without hesitation. He created memories through simple joys and time spent together, always putting his family first.
John had a deep love for the outdoors. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and made it a tradition to take his children each year to the Vergennes Junior Fishing Derby, creating lasting memories filled with laughter, patience, and pride. Those moments reflected who he was-present, involved, and happiest when sharing experiences with the people he loved most.
He also had a lifelong love of playing pool, whether it was casually with friends and family or competitively. From shooting pool at local bars such as Noonie's to playing in the APA league alongside his sons-in-law and daughter, pool was something that brought him connection and joy. While playing on the Shellhouse Hooligan team with his family, they won the season and advanced to the world pool qualifiers-an achievement he was proud of and loved sharing with those closest to him.
In recent years, John embraced the joy of grandparenthood, a role he cherished deeply.
He also joined the Red Knights International Motorcycle Club, Vermont Chapter 4, where his love for riding his motorcycle and helping others came together. Riding brought him peace and freedom, and the brotherhood and service of the Red Knights meant a great deal to him.
John also found happiness in helping others close to him. He enjoyed lending a hand to his brother-in-law on various projects and treasured time spent gathering with family at his sister's home for cookouts and holidays-moments filled with laughter, food, and togetherness that meant everything to him.
John is survived by his children: Chanyiah Coyle (Shane), Kelsy Lawrence (Basil), and Savannah Lawrence (Ryan), all of North Ferrisburgh, Vermont, and JC Lawrence (Amber) of Starksboro, Vermont. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Reighlyn and Winston Coyle, Caton Mason-Lawrence, and Leiyah and Nyra Cushing. John was joyfully anticipating the arrival of his sixth grandchild in February 2026. He is also survived by his sister, Roxanne Bigelow (Michael) of Addison, Vermont, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
He was predeceased by his mother, Irene (Santos) Lawrence; his father, John Lawrence Jr.; his sisters Priscilla Brown and Caroline Marden; his brother William Brown; his nieces Michelle Kilbreth and Amy; and his grandson Braxton Coyle.
John's family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Vergennes Area Rescue Squad, Shelburne Rescue, Ferrisburgh Volunteer Fire Department, UVMMC Emergency Department, and UVMMC McClure 4 for the lifesaving efforts and compassionate care John received during this event and in his final days.
A celebration of John's life will be held at the American Legion in Bristol, Vermont on January 25, 2026 from 12-5pm. We will be doing a pot luck style food, so if you would like to, please bring a dish to share.
Memorial contributions in John's memory may be made to the Red Knights International Motorcycle Club, Vermont Chapter 4 and sent to 3204 Shellhouse Mountain Road, Ferrisburgh, VT 05456. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of John, please visit our Tree Store.