More detail on this person: Jon Dennis (JD) Lawson, resident of Matthews, North Carolina passed peacefully into the arms of His Savior on Wednesday July 29, 2015 at 7:01 a.m. He was 69 years old. JD was born to Leonard W. Lawson and Doris Bulleigh Lawson on July 6, 1946 in Salina, Kansas. He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas where he attended Turner High School, received a Bachelor's degree from Emporia State Teachers College (now Emporia University) in 1968 and a Master's degree from St. Mary's University, San Antonio, Texas in 1977. JD had planned to be a teacher but Uncle Sam had other ideas. He was drafted in December 1968 and received a direct commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in September 1969. He was in the active Army for 11 years as a Medical Evacuation helicopter pilot in Vietnam (45th Med. Batallion and 101st Airborne_Eagle Dustoff), Germany (421st Med. Battalion), and at Ft. Campbell, Ky. (101st Airborne). Being a Medevac pilot, he risked his life many times to save the lives of those wounded in battle, a demonstration of the selflessness of the Vietnam helicopter pilot. He also served as a company commander at Ft. Sam Houston for Brooke Army Medical Center. He remained in the Army Reserve for another 12 years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. JD was awarded a Bronze Star and 19 Air Medals as well as a Senior Army Aviator Badge during his service. In May 1969, JD met his wife Sandy in San Antonio, Texas. They were married on October 3, 1969 and together they experienced flight school, Vietnam (via daily letters and cassette tapes), and Germany (traveling to 14 different countries from there), and then returned to the U.S. While stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas (1974-78), he and Sandy were blessed with the birth of two sons, Chad Christian and Joshua Reagan. JD always chose to serve his family and to be present for them. After leaving the active Army, JD served as a nursing home administrator for 20 years in various locations throughout the North Carolina Piedmont region. He then worked for Reformed Theological Seminary Charlotte campus primarily in the Virtual Campus for 15 years where his impact on seminary students all over the world was memorable and unselfish. JD's passion was ministering to single men and women. He served on the boards of Campus Outreach Charlotte and Johannesburg, South Africa for 10 years. For 16 years, he and his wife hosted singles at their dinner table every Wednesday night, and they had 25 other single men and women live in their home at various times during this season as well. JD was always willing to stop and listen and share his life with everyone who came his way. His legacy of love lives on in the many people whose lives he touched. He was an active member of Church of the Redeemer (PCA) in Monroe since its founding and served in many capacities, especially as the one to welcome as many people on Sundays as he could reach! He always gave himself to others humbly, generously, and with no hesitation. JD was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) in the fall of 2014. After a swift and hard-fought battle, the Lord has chosen to heal him by bringing him Home. JD continued to touch the lives of all around him, even as he lay in bed at Levine & Dickson Hospice House at Southminster until the day he went to be with Jesus. Psalm 116:15 (ESV) "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." He is now whole and rejoicing in the presence of His Savior. For the last 19 years JD has been a member of the North Carolina Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (NCVHPA.org). With this group he attended many air shows, parades, and other events to display their Vietnam era helicopters. Although JD was a Medevac pilot and as such flew Hueys, he towed a LOH (light observation helicopter) for these events. Many of you may have seen it as "yard art" proudly displayed at his home. JD served as chaplain for several years for this organization as well as vice-president and then president for four years. His relationship with this "band of brothers" who share the bond of Vietnam was of great value to him and he considered them family. He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Leonard and Doris Lawson as well as by his brother, Lenny. He is survived by his wife, Sandy, two sons, Chad and his wife Jeni, and Joshua. He is also survived by his nephews Greg and his wife Kelli, Jamie and his wife Amy, and Douglas; his great nieces and nephews Dalton, Taylor, Kelsea, Lauren, and Nicholas; who were like grandchildren to him. He is also survived by two brothers-in-law, Jack and his wife Linda Cloyd and their children Elizabeth and J.R., and John and his wife Candi Cloyd, as well as his mother-in-law Mary Lou Kaak and her husband Ernie. In addition to his biological family, JD is survived and honored by non-biological sons and daughters too numerous to mention. By God's grace and provision, his quiver was full and overflowing! (Psalm 127:4-5) JD's smile, his gift of hospitality, his stories, his generosity of spirit, as well as his love for others will be sorely missed by all who knew him. There will be a Memorial Service to celebrate his life at Christ Covenant Church, 800 Fullwood Lane, Matthews, NC on Saturday, August 8, 2015 at 1 p.m. A reception will follow the service. JD's remains will be interred at Ft. Leavenworth National Cemetery with full military honors on Friday, August 14, 2015 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Muscular Dystrophy Association for ALS research (www.mda.org) Romans 8:28 (ESV) And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Burial information: Ft. Leavenworth National Cemeter
This information was last updated 07/23/2018
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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