Chuck Lawrence,
82 of Cleveland, Missouri passed away July 2, 2025 at Overland Park Regional
Hospital in Overland Park, Kansas. A
visitation will be held from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday, July 12, 2025 at
the First Baptist Church of Stilwell, 19950 Broadmoor Ln, Stilwell, KS 66085. Memorial services will follow at 12:30 pm
Saturday, July 12th, also at the church. Services under the direction of Mullinax
Funeral Home, Drexel Chapel (816-657-4400).
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to
the USD 368 Endowment. Checks can be made out to USD #368 Endowment Association
or by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/Endowment-Donations. Messages of condolence may be left for the
family at www.mullinaxfuneralhome.com.
Charles (Chuck)
LeRoy Lawrence was born Oct. 2. 1942 in Kansas City, MO. He was the fifth child
and only son born to Ethel and Otis Lawrence. This meant he was spoiled rotten
and constantly fussed over by his ever-adoring sisters.
He and his family
moved to Stilwell, Kansas in 1955. Here his love for country life and athletics
emerged, and he spent time riding horses and playing football, basketball, and
baseball. Chuck graduated from Stilwell High School in 1960. A scholarship took
him to Ft. Scott Community College for football and basketball, but
homesickness brought him back home. His cure for that was to join the US Army.
He was shipped to Germany after basic training where he spent his days as a
clerk typist in the 79th HQ company.
Upon discharge,
he married Rita Boehm, and with her established a home in Hillsdale with their
sons Greg and Keith. He and his second wife, Marilyn Slawson, and their
daughters, Heather and Lacy, lived in Stilwell. His cowboy lifestyle is
probably part of the reason he was too independent for marriage. He never
enjoyed sitting still and staying in, and even in the last weeks of his life,
he could be found golfing with friends and attending softball games of his
youngest grandchild.
Chuck worked as a
carpenter, a car salesman, a courier, and found his greatest success in
collections. His true calling was in managing people, and he loved his
employees like family. After he retired, he even did a stint as an Uber driver.
He loved going to
Arizona during the winters, but eventually moved back to Stilwell to live with
his sister Barb and her husband, Chuck. This put him in closer proximity to the
grandkids and their sporting activities. He spent a lot of his time coaching and
critiquing from a bleacher seat or folding chair.
Chuck lived life
big. He loved life, and he loved people. He couldn’t resist a deal, even if
that deal was slightly questionable, and he loved a good bet. He’d give the
shirt right off his back and the $100 bills in his wallet to anyone who needed
them, including his mom when aunt Bobby wasn’t looking.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Shirley, Maxine and Geraldine (Tutty) and son Keith. He is survived by his sisters Barbara and Sue, son Greg Lawrence, daughter Heather Lawrence-Kauk (Mike), daughter Lacy Ohlmeier (Curt), grandchildren Chaz and Casin Lawrence, Maggie, Carter, Stella, and Delaney Kauk, Josie (Cody Gabriel) and Lucas Cummings, Rebecka Jensen (Michael) and Blake Ohlmeier, great-grandsons Bridger and Lawson Jensen, and many nieces and nephews.