Tom Lawson's Obituary
Thomas (“Tom”) Nelson Lawson, 60, of Huntersville, passed away peacefully on July 31, 2019, with his family by his side. Tom serenely confronted every day of his courageous ten-month battle against aggressive cancer by observing, ”Every day is a good day.” A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held at the chapel of James Funeral Home in Huntersville on Saturday August 10, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Tom’s family will receive friends at a reception immediately following the service. A private committal service will be held at NorthLake Memorial Gardens.
Tom was born September 26, 1958 in Charlotte. Growing up in Gastonia, he had a childhood filled with love and laughter, family gatherings, friends, church, and Boy Scouting, where he attained the rank of Eagle. His summers abounded with neighborhood adventures, kick the can, beloved dogs, Camp Carolina, and Lake Norman. In his teens, Tom explored Europe with friends and participated in a rigorous Swiss mountain climbing school. After college, his family took annual SCUBA-diving trips to the Cayman Islands for over 30 years. His crowning achievement in diving was shepherding his father, then ninety years old, on a dive over ninety feet deep.
In 1980 Tom graduated from Clemson and in 1985 he met Teri, the love of his life, in New Orleans. They were married in 1988 in the beautiful foothills of the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, amid family and friends, and they began their 31 happy years together by travelling to France, Switzerland, Belgium and Italy on a storybook honeymoon. Tom and Teri raised two amazing sons and three cherished West Highland Terriers. They shared many of the same interests, and traveled together to Grand Cayman, Mexico, the Bahamas, and Europe. A highlight of their recent travels, prior to Tom’s illness, was touring England, Scotland and Ireland. Tom was a wonderful husband and devoted father, who will be missed by Teri and the boys tremendously.
Tom had a natural talent for understanding how things worked and fixing them. He thrived in a thirty-nine year career as a civil engineer, the majority of which he spent working with Contech focused on bridge construction in the Carolinas. Tom brought humor, intelligence and curiosity to his work and volunteer commitments. He was a Paul Harris Fellow and sustaining member of the Lake Norman/Huntersville Rotary Club. He truly embodied the ethos of Rotary – Service Above Self. Tom had a passion for the outdoors and served as an Assistant Scoutmaster of Huntersville’s Troop 19 for two decades. He mentored the Troop’s newer Assistant Scoutmasters and guided over 300 boys through Scouting, many of those attaining the rank of Eagle.
Tom was kind, witty, hard-working, devoted and, most of all, completely selfless. He left a good life – a full life – too early. All those who knew and loved Tom are deeply saddened by his departure.
Tom is survived by his beloved wife, Teri Brison Lawson, and sons Thomas Nelson Lawson, Jr of Mooresville and Tyler Smith Lawson of Huntersville. He is also survived by his father, William David Lawson, III of Gastonia; his sisters, Margaret Lawson Headrick (Russell), of Boone and Susan Lawson zumBrunnen (John) of Charlotte; his brother, William David Lawson IV (Emiliana Vegas) of Naples, Florida; Mother-in-Law, Dean Brison; brothers-in-law, John Brison (Holly) and Dan Brison (Karen); and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and aunts. Tom’s mother, Elizabeth (Betsy) Lawson, predeceased him.
Tom’s family is grateful to all those who cared for Tom with compassion over the course of his illness, including the staff at the Levine Cancer Institute Charlotte, Atrium Emergency and ICU Charlotte, St. Vincent’s Hospital (Green Bay, Wisconsin), Novant Hospital Huntersville, and Levine & Dickson Hospice House Huntersville. Tom’s business colleagues graciously provided Tom an Angel Flight Med Jet to transport him from Green Bay back to Charlotte during his last illness.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Rotary Foundation, PO Box 2306,
Huntersville, NC 28070; or the Levine & Dickson Hospice House, 11900 Vanstory Dr, Huntersville, NC 28078.
Many thanks to Pastor Mitch White and the community at Lake Forest Church for their ongoing prayers and support.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family. www.jamesfuneralhomeLKN.com
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