Thomas Frank Lawler

Thomas "Tom" Frank Lawler, from Virginia Beach, Virginia, passed away on December 31, 2025 surrounded by family. He was 70 years old.

Born on April 10, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois, Tom served proudly in the United States Navy for 20 years. After retiring and making a home in Virginia Beach, he loved to spend time watching his home-town team, the Chicago Bears, eating his favorite Ginos Pizza, and enjoying a great cheeseburger. He also loved fast women and fast cars.

Tom kept it simple and was a man of few words - unless you touched his thermostat, in which case you quickly learned how passionate he could be!

Preceded in death by his beloved wife, Debbie Anne Lawler, and his parents, June Mabel (née Heyes) and Paul Edward Lawler, Tom leaves behind a legacy of love and mischief. Surviving him is his son, Travis Frank Lawler, step-daughters Corinne Edwards and Kayla Slagle, sister-in-law Rita Kay Edwards, 13 beloved grandchildren who called him Papa, along with a host of family and friends.

The family will lay him to rest at Albert G. Horton, Jr., Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia on January 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM.

Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Altmeyer Funeral Home and Cremations, Southside Chapel, located at 5033 Rouse Drive, Virginia Beach, Virginia 23462.

In an effort to celebrate Tom and his memory, the family kindly requests that you share a joke in Tom's honor-preferably a dirty one that would make him chuckle in true sailor fashion.