Joseph Cecil Lawson Sr.

LAWSON, Joseph Cecil Sr., 82, of Culpeper, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family at his residence on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. He was born December 21, 1927 in Powhatan, Va., to the late Oliver Cecil and Etta Jessup Lawson. Mr. Lawson was a member of Culpeper Baptist Church as well as a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and State Police Alumni. He retired in 1991 from the Virginia State Police after 36 years of service. He is survived by his wife, Mary Lawson; his children, Jojuan White and her husband, Joe, of Culpeper, Judy Norris and her husband, Robert, of Mitchells, Jackie Heberle and her husband, Andy, of Powhatan, Joseph "Jay" Lawson Jr. and his wife, Jennifer, of Ruckersville; two stepdaughters, Suzanne Tharin and her husband, Ted, of Midlothian, Mary Beth Hutchison and her husband, Todd, of Midlothian; and one stepson, Garfield Lawson and his wife, Kristy, of Mechanicsville. Additional survivors include one brother, Elwood Lawson of Richmond; one sister, Clara Emerson of Powhatan; and his grandchildren, Justin, Jessica and Janel Barton, Ashleigh and Joseph Norris, Zachary, Jared and Elijah Schiarelli, Samantha Yuen, Robin, Reanna and David Shaulis, Victoria Bassols, Robin Smith, Alicia Thomas, Kaitie and Alex Tharin, Taylor Lawson, Kraig Wood and Julie and Samantha Hutchison; and six great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife of 46 years, Jean Mann Lawson; two brothers, Stuart Lawson and Welbert Lawson; and one sister, Jean Manley. The family will receive friends on Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Found and Sons Funeral Chapel, 850 Sperryville Pike, Culpeper, Va. 22701. A funeral service will be held on Monday, June 14, 2010 at 11 a.m. at Culpeper Baptist Church, 318 S. West St., Culpeper, Va. 22701, with Dr. Bert Browning and Dr. Ted Fuson officiating. Interment will follow in Red Lane Baptist Church Cemetery in Powhatan, Va. at 3:30 p.m. Virginia State Police will serve as pallbearers. The family would like to give a special thank you to Betty and April Patterson, Lucille Johnson, Barbara Tansimore, Cindy Gray and Family Care Home Health and Hospice for all their love and compassion. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Culpeper Baptist Church, 318 S. West St., Culpeper, Va. 22701. An online guestbook is available at: www.foundandsons.com. Found and Sons Funeral Chapel of Culpeper is handling the arrangements.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.