Keith Lawrence

Monday, March 22, 2021 9:35 pm

Keith O. Lawrence died Feb. 7, 2021, from COVID-19 while in hospice care at Aase Haugen in Decorah.

He was 95. Despite the quarantine, his daughters were at his side as he peacefully slipped away.

Born April 7, 1925 in Mount Ayr, Iowa, to Fairy Belle and Conrad Lawrence, Keith and his older brother Richard were raised on a small farm near Coon Rapids in central Iowa. In 1943 following graduation from Coon Rapids High School, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served three years as a quartermaster third class on the light cruiser USS Richmond during WWII. After the War he met and married Mary Wilma Stock on June 8, 1947, in Des Moines. For almost 30 years he successfully designed and sold commercial interiors for Pioneer Workspace Solutions in Cedar Rapids.

A kind and loving husband and father, Keith enjoyed gardening, collecting stamps, watching college basketball, attending concerts and plays, traveling, reading, and solving jigsaw puzzles. Well-organized and prone to excessive planning, he maintained a quiet patience in a home filled with four overactive children and a harried wife.

Keith was a handsome man, sporting a full head of thick hair till his final day. Taking pride in his attire, he always nattily dressed for the office. To say that Keith watched his pennies would be an understatement, but as a doting elderly father and grandfather he could always be persuaded to pick up the check. For many years St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids was the focal point of the Lawrence family’s religious and social lives. Actively involved in the Cedar Rapids Noon Lions Club for over 30 years, Keith proudly served as its President, 1987-88; the Iowa District 9 Governor, 1991-92; and Council Chair, 1992-93. For his service he was presented with Lion of the Year, 1988; William Coleman Award, 1991-92; and the Melvin Jones Fellow Award, 1992-93. Married for over 63 years before his wife Mary’s death on Dec. 5, 2010, in 2011 Keith moved from the Cedar Rapids Meth-Wick Community to Decorah to be closer to his daughter Emilie and son-in-law Dean Thompson. He enjoyed life at Vennehjem for five years before moving to Aase Haugen nursing home. Keith was also preceded in death by his youngest daughter Jennifer Lynn, his brother Richard Lawrence, parents Fairy Belle (Rush) and Conrad Lawrence, his step-mother Elizabeth (Lizzie Schumacher) Lawrence, and his great granddaughter Ella Marie Thompson.

Survivors include his daughters Rhonda K. Lawrence, Los Angeles, CA; Emilie J. Thompson (Dean), Decorah, IA; son Kent H. Lawrence, Palm Springs, CA; grandsons Matthew L. Thompson (Sarah), Raleigh, NC; Erik J. Thompson, Helena, MT; great granddaughter Hailey Anne, and several nieces and nephews. Internment was at the St. Paul’s United Methodist Church Columbarium. A memorial service will be held at a later time when it is safe to gather. The family extends its deep gratitude to the Aase Haugen staff for their care these past five years. Please consider a donation in Keith’s memory to Camp Courageous: 12007 190th Street, Monticello, IA 52310 – https://campcourageous.org/honor-memorial/