John Stephen Lawson Jr., 84, passed away from this life on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at Orchard Nursing Home. Born in Fredon Township, N.J., on July 26, 1923, he was the son of the late John S. Sr. and Amelia E. Lawson. He was raised in Branchville, N.J. He was affectionately known as "Jr." and "Sarge" to family and friends. Mr. Lawson was a U. S. Army veteran in the European Theater from 1943 to 1945, serving in Normandy and northern France. Mr. Lawson worked as a carpenter in and around Sussex County area until his retirement. In 1998, he moved to Whitehall as a construction consultant for numerous historic preservations. He was a life member of the Pvt. Peter S. Hotalen American Legion Post No. 157 in Branchville serving as post commander and also as a past commander of the Sussex County American Legion. He was also a former member of the Frankford Township Fire Department, being a charter member on the founding in 1948. He also served as Scoutmaster for the Branchville-Frankford Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, he guided a few young men in the community to their rank of Eagle Scout. Mr. Lawson was predeceased by one brother, Robert V. Lawson. He was the devoted father of his daughter, Linda J. Babcock of Branchville; his son, John S. Lawston III and his wife, Cathy of Little Egg Harbor Township, N.J.; loving grandfather of: Yvonne Gheparde of Everett, Wash., Cindy Skinner of Collins Lake, N.J., Wendy Vreeland of Michigan, Valerie Wack of Budd Lake, N.J. and Terri Wack of Egg Harbor City, N.J. He was also the loving great-grandfather of: Connor, Blake, Andrew, Ted, Page, Carl, Zachary, Katie, Coral, Casey, Amelia, Sean, Ken, Derrick, Justin and Oren. He is also survived by his sister, Edna Hoffnagle of Newton, and four brothers: Rex and his wife, Shirley, of Branchville, N.J., Louis and his wife, Naomi, of North Carolina, Herb and his wife, Charlotte, of Sebastion, Fla., and Kemah Lake, and Thomas and his wife, Mary Ann, of Matamoras, Pa.; and his aunt, Dora Holland and her husband, Les, of Branchville, N.J. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends from Sussex County and Whitehall. A wake service will be conducted by the American Legion Post No. 83 of Whitehall at the Jillson Funeral Home, Inc., 46 Williams St., Whitehall, N.Y. on Friday, Jan. 18, 2008, at 4:30 p.m. Family and friends may call at the funeral home from 4 to 5 p.m. Memorial donations may be made in Mr. Lawson’s name to the Pvt. Peter S. Hotalen, American Legion Post No. 157, P.O. Box 356, Branchville, NJ 07826 or Whitehall Bridge Theater, 6 North Williams St., Whitehall, NY 12887.
VPR commentator entertains at Slate Valley Museum
By Jaime Thomas About 75 people gathered at the Slate Valley Museum Thursday evening to listen to Vermont Public Radio [...]