William Lawler

Bill Lawler, age 85 of Hillsboro, TX left to meet his Lord in Heaven on May 6, 2010. He was born on May 28th, 1924, the oldest of the 3 children from Laura and Nicholas Davis Lawler who grew up on a farm near Lone Oak, TX where he graduated from high school in 1940. He attended East Texas State College in Commerce, TX for two years before transferring to Texas University in Austin. He graduated from UT in 1944, at the age of 19 with an Engineering Degree. He immediately joined the US Navy as a commissioned officer. After Officers Training in Florida, he was transferred to the Gilbert Islands as commanding officer of a ship carrying supplies between the islands. He continued to serve in the Marshall Islands and at Pearl Harbor as an administration officer until 1946, then sailed on the AdComsPhibsPac Command Ship El Dorado to San Diego, where he was discharged. Bill began his career with Dow Chemical Company in the Light Hydrocarbin Department until 1948, where he met the love of his life, Melba Cloud. They married and had a wonderful life together producing 3 children, of whom each they were very proud. They were blessed with nine grandchildren. He would say If I had known they were going to be so much fun, I would have started with them! Bill had a lifelong career as a Professional Chemical Engineer with Sun Oil Company, first in Sun Field, then later moving to Sun Oil Company Division Headquarters in Dallas, TX in the Gas Plants Section involved with the design and construction and operation of gas processing plants in the US. After spending seven years beginning in 1971 in Tulsa, OK as Regional Engineer, he was transferred to Sun Gas Company offices in Dallas to become the Manager Of Plants until her retired in 1986. He worked with so many wonderful men and women with which he remained friends throughout his life. Bill and Melba were active members of Park Cities Baptist Church while in Dallas, often teaching Sunday School. Upon moving to Hillsboro, after retiring, they enjoyed the fellowship of all those members of the First Baptist Church of Hillsboro. They were instrumental in developing the Airstream Park in Hillsboro, and were part of the original group who designed and developed the area. Bill was a typical Lawler, with strong values, mind and conscience, a very strong man who always stood up for what he believed in and taught his children and grandchildren that they could do anything they set their minds to. He was always there with a helping hand just in case any of them tried to reach too high, he would have caught them, but he was so proud that it never came to that. He stressed the Golden Rule and absolute honesty. He touched the lives of many with his kind thoughts and deeds without expecting anything in return. One time a friend asked him what she owed him for fixing a computer problem, and his answer was, I charge $1, 000 an hour, but I waive the fee, if you just promise to do something kind for someone else. Her husband later asked him for help saying I understand you are very expensive, but worth every penny of it. He considered it his gift to have the pleasure of helping someone else. Bill was a wonderful example to all his family and friends of how to live a successful life. Bill is survived by his wife, Melba Lawler of Hillsboro; children, Lynn Lee of Dallas, Ann Mills of Round Rock, Gary Lawler of Cotter, AR.; sisters, Laura M. Rollwage of Lake Jackson, Dorotha J. Roark of Austin; grandchildren, Lisa Honeycutt, Nicholas Lee, Tiffany Nicole Avery, Rebekah Crawford, Lily Cline, Gary William Lawler, Hannah Birchfield, Sara Tackett Joanna Dove Lawler; great grandchildren, Caleb Cline, Jackson Avery, Caroline Honeycutt, Preston Avery and Amos Lawler. In Lieu of Flowers you may make a donation to Hill College, 112 Lamar Dr. Hillsboro, TX 76645 or U. T. School of Engineering Foundation, 1 University Station C2104 Austin, TX 78712-0287