Obituary of William Dale Lawrence

                William Dale Lawrence, 89, of Clarinda, IA, passed away Tuesday, November 19^th, 2024, at the Clarinda Regional Health Center, Clarinda, IA.  Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17^th, 2024, with a Celebration of Life service at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 18^th, 2024, at Walker-Merrick-Billings Funeral Chapel, Clarinda, IA.  A luncheon will follow the service.

                William Dale Lawrence was born August 3^rd, 1935, to Grace Caldona (Eddy) and William Henry Lawrence in Fortescue, MO.  The family moved several times including to Mound City and Napier, MO, and then to Rosedale (Kansas City), KS.  Bill graduated from Rosedale High School in 1953 where he had been involved in Thespians, National Honor Society, Student Council, Cheerleading and Glee Club/Choir.

                After High School, Bill attended York College in York, NE, for one year and then transferred to Westmar College in Le Mars, IA. After graduation, he joined the United States Army in 1958 and was stationed at a research facility in Greenland. He returned home in 1960 having earned the rank of Specialist 4^th Class (SP4). He used the G.I. Bill to help pay for college.

Bill began his teaching career in Kingsley, IA, and then accepted a job in Clarinda, IA, in the fall of 1964.  This is where he would make his life and spend over 45 years teaching at Clarinda High School.  He earned his Master’s in Education through a Cooperative Graduate Program between the University of Missouri, Colombia, MO, and Northwest Missouri State College, Maryville, MO. 

While at NWMSC, he met Lucille Otte.  They were married on August 12^th, 1967, and enjoyed 53 years of marriage until Lucy’s death in December 2020.  They were blessed with two children: Lisa S. Lawrence was born in 1968, and Adam B. Lawrence was born in 1975.

At CHS, Bill taught Intro to Literature, Basic Grammer and British Literature.  In 1992, he started teaching American Government and this would eventually become his favorite class.  He officially retired in 2009, and vowed he would never substitute.  He was persuaded to change his mind to help a friend and enjoyed it so much he continued to substitute teach for several more years. 

                Besides education, volunteering and service to the community were a huge part of Bill’s life.  He volunteered with the Glenn Miller Festival as the High School Liaison (an unofficial title which meant he had keys to the building and would let musicians into rooms to warm up) and developed many friendships through this experience. He helped coordinate the fundraising for the school’s Relay for Life team.  He helped Lucy with her Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and Clarinda Area Volunteers (CAV) programs such as the SHARE food distribution, Clarinda Taxi, and the Curbside Recycling program with the CHS Brokaw FFA.  He was a member of the Corner Counties Child Development Board for several years and served as Co-Chair and Chairman before leaving the board in 2015.

                Because of his support for CHS athletics and students, Bill was named the 2002 Booster of the Year by the Clarinda Athletic Booster Club. He received the Iowa High School Athletic Directors Association’s Contributor of the Year Award in 2006.  He and Lucy received the Spirit of Clarinda Award from the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce in 2008 and were Grand Marshals for the CHS Homecoming parade in 2013.  Bill received recognition from two separate Iowa Governors: in 1998 he received a Volunteer Service Award for Education presented by Governor Terry Branstad, and in 2004 the Page County Recycling Program, with Bill representing the Government class alongside some of his students, received a Certificate of Appreciation presented by Governor Tom Vilsack. 

Outside of school, Bill enjoyed reading, (friendly) wagering on college football bowl games and March Madness Basketball brackets, and visiting with his grandsons and attending their activities.  He enjoyed genealogy and family reunions in Mound City, MO, and keeping in touch with family, classmates, fellow teachers and former students that would reach out on Facebook or stop by and say hello.

                Bill was preceded in death by his parents Grace C. and William H. Lawrence; wife Lucille Lawrence; sisters Maxine Halligan, Joyce Groves, and Ramona Boyd; and brother David Lawrence. He is survived by daughter Lisa Lawrence of South Daytona, FL; son Adam and wife Amy, and grandsons Andrew & Ryan Lawrence, of Clarinda, IA; sister-in-law Suzanne Sybert of St. Joseph, MO; nieces Amy Blonde of Kansas City, MO, Alyson Matt and her daughter Gillian Matt of St. Joseph, MO, Debbie Eglich and husband Joe of Lee’s Summit, MO, and their son John (Monica) Eglich of Blue Springs, MO, and daughter Renee (Hunter) Hoss of Lee’s Summit, MO, and Tricia Brown and husband Tom, and their daughter Taby (Chris) Robinson of Simi Valley, CA; as well as many other family and friends.