Wayne L. Lawrence

Feb. 18, 2013
SOUTH BEND - Wayne Lawrence Sr. (Boompa), 94, of Garden Spot Village, New Holland, and formerly of Log Cabin Road, Lititz, PA, died Monday, Feb. 18th. He had been a resident of Garden Spot Village since November 2000, and was preceded in death by his wife of 71 years, Ruth Ellen (Stickley) Lawrence, in February 2010. Born in Bourbon, Indiana, one of three children of Elmer and Arvada Lawrence, he previously lived in South Bend and Goshen, Indiana, and Thousand Oaks, California.

Wayne grew up in South Bend and graduated from Riley High School, where he was President of his class. He attended Purdue University and worked at Bendix Corp. and Dutron Corp.

Wayne and his family lived in Ardmore and on Portage Road in South Bend, where they were active members of Portage Chapel Methodist Church from 1947-1962. Wayne and his wife moved to Lancaster, PA, in 1963, when Wayne was transferred by Shasta Industries to serve as General Manager of the new Shasta Travel Trailer Plant in Leola. In 1972 he was transferred to the Shasta Corporate headquarters in California. In 1974, following the sale of Shasta Industries, he returned to the Lancaster area and, along with partners, purchased the Sunline Coach Company in Denver. He served as President and Chairman of the Board until his retirement in 1988.

He was an avid fisherman, and he and his wife traveled over much of the U.S. and Canada towing a travel trailer or fifth-wheel trailer. They were able to visit every State in the Union during their travels. He was a member of Ephrata Church of the Brethren and The Good Friends Sunday School Class. He served as a Deacon of the Church and as a volunteer at Brethren Village. He and his wife spent much time, after retirement, visiting residents of nursing homes, providing supplies to shut-ins, and transportation to doctors, church, grocery stores, etc. to those who had no means of getting there.

Surviving are a son, Wayne (Larry) Lawrence Jr. (Sybil Lawrence) of Lancaster; a daughter, Linda S. Gregory of Indianapolis; 9 grandchildren & 17 great-grandchildren; a sister, Eleanor Lawrence Petty; brothers-in-law, Kenneth Petty and Norris Smith; and sister-in-law, Isabel Stickley.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by a daughter, Karen M. Allen (Gary), Bowie, MD; a brother, Lamar Lawrence; brothers-in-law, Joseph Delahousaye and Ralph Stickley; and sisters-in-law, Joyce (Stickley) Smith, Frances Lawrence and Marie Delahousaye.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service at the Garden Spot Village Chapel, 433 S. Kinzer Avenue, New Holland, on Saturday, February 23rd, at 2:30 pm, with the Reverend Chet Yoder officiating. Visitation time with the family will be at the Chapel from 1:30 pm until time of service. Interment will be at the Millport Cemetery, Warwick Twp., at the convenience of the family. Please omit flowers. Those desiring may send contributions in Wayne's memory to the Garden Spot Village Benevolence Fund, 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland, PA 17557; or to The Ephrata Church of The Brethren, 201 Crescent Avenue, Ephrata, PA 17522. Arrangements by Stradling Funeral Homes, Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences may be sent to stradlingfuneralhome.com.

Published by South Bend Tribune on Feb. 20, 2013.

06/18/2023 EJS

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