2LT Kenneth Dean Lawson

1920 - 2000  (79 years)

• Name	Kenneth Dean Lawson
  Prefix	2LT
  Birth	13 Jul 1920	Ravenwood, Nodaway, MO
  Gender	Male
  Death	9 Jan 2000	Fountain Hills, Maricopa, AZ
  	Kenneth D. Lawson Following several years of declining health, Kenneth D. Lawson died in his sleep on January 9, 2000. Born July 13, 1920 to Florence and Cecil Lawson of Ravenwood, Missouri, he was Valdictorian of his high school class and later graduated from Michigan State University. He married Shirley Thurlow of Saginaw, Michigan, his partner in life and business In 1941. His Son Ken, Jr. and daughter, Barbara were born in 1943 and 1947 repectively. Following service during WWII as a 2nd Liuetenant in the Army Air Corps, he became Manager of Residence Halls at Michigan State until founding CTL Company in Wausau, Wisconsin in 1955. Under his guidance, CTL became a leader in wholesale distribution of Restaurant, Institutional and Hotel equipment and supplies. Ken was deeply involved in community work as a member of Rotary and as President of the Wausau Chamber of Commerce, as well as a founder and director of the Central National Bank. An avid golfer, as President of the Wausau Country Club he managed the major expansion of the club house and golf course. He was an excellent social and duplicate bridge player, and he enjoyed league bowling and curling. He was an active member of the Wausau Club. Very widely read, he was an excellent conversationalist and debating partner on almost any topic. Following retirement from CTL in 1985, he and Shirley moved to Fountain Hills, Arizona. He is survived by wife Shirley, brother Eldon of Bay VIllage, Ohio, daughter Barbara of Mesa, and son Ken, Jr., his wife Charlotte and their daughter, Christine, of Seattle. Arizona Republic (Pheonix, Arizona) 22 Jan 2000 U.S., Social Security Death Index Name: Kenneth D. Lawson SSN: 494-12-0098 Last Residence: 85268 Fountain Hills, Maricopa, Arizona, USA BORN: 13 Jul 1920 Died: 9 Jan 2000 State (Year) SSN issued: Missouri (Before 1951)
  Burial	Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ
  	National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona Plot: 18E 128 Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona Inscription: Kenneth D Lawson AVN Cadet USAAF WWII Jul 13 1920 Jan 9 2000 Shirley A Lawson Mar 10 1923 Sep 23 2003 Partners Always
  Person ID	I18759	Drollinger Genealogy
  Last Modified	14 May 2025

  
  

  Father	Cecil Eugene Lawson,   b. 1 Aug 1895, Wicox, Nodaway, MO d. 1 Nov 1981, Maryville, Nodaway, MO (Age 86 years)
  Mother	Florence Marjorie "Mae" Trullinger,   b. 15 Dec 1899, Maryville, Nodaway, MO d. 4 May 1978, Maryville, Nodaway, MO (Age 78 years)
  Family ID	F6359	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Shirley Ann Thurlow,   b. 10 Mar 1923, Saginaw, Saginaw, MI d. 23 Sep 2003, Mesa, Maricopa, AZ (Age 80 years)
  Marriage	20 Nov 1941	Saginaw, Saginaw, MI
  	Michigan, Marriage Records Name: Shirley Ann Thurlow Gender: Female Race: White Birth Year: abt 1923 Birth Place: Saginaw, Michigan Marriage Date: 20 Nov 1941 Marriage Place: Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan, USA License County: Ingham Age: 18 Residence Place: Saginaw, Michigan Father: James Arthur Thurlow Mother: Clara Martha Boroson Spouse: Mr Kenneth Dean Lawson Spouse Gender: Male Spouse Race: White Spouse Age: 21 Spouse Birth Place: Havenwood Missouri [Ravenwood, Nodaway County, Missouri] Spouse Residence Place: East Lansing, Michigan Spouse Father: Cecil E Lawson Spouse Mother: Florence Trullinger County File Number: 41-1444 State File Number: 33 18029 Film: 83 Film Title: 33 Ingham 17200-20469 Film Description: Ingham (1941 - 1943)
  Children	1. Kenneth Dean "Ken" Lawson, Jr.   2. Barbara Ann Lawson
  Family ID	F13963	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 May 2025

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 13 Jul 1920 - Ravenwood, Nodaway, MO Marriage - 20 Nov 1941 - Saginaw, Saginaw, MI Death - 9 Jan 2000 - Fountain Hills, Maricopa, AZ Burial - - Phoenix, Maricopa, AZ  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents

  WWII DRC

  
  

  Headstones

  SGT Kenneth D. Lawson

  
  

• Notes

  Michigan, World War II Draft Registration Cards Name Kenneth Dean Lawson Birth Date 13 Jul 1920 Birthplace Ravenwood, Missouri Employer Unemployed Complexion Light Race White Height 6 2 Weight 176 Eye Color Gray Hair Color Brown Relative's Name Cecil E. Lawson Relative's Relationship to the Head of the Household Father Employer Name Unemployed Event Type Draft Registration Event Date 16 Feb 1942 Event Place Lansing, Ingham, Michigan, United States