William Nathan Laurence Jr.

William Nathan Laurence, Jr., age 80, of League City, TX, passed away June 21, 2020. He was born in Ville Platte, LA on January 9, 1940, to William Nathan, Sr. and Della Hilton Laurence. He married his college sweetheart, Carol Jean Smith, and the two loved each other devotedly for 58 years. He always provided, protected, and supported her in whatever endeavor she undertook. Family was of utmost importance to him. Many have remarked how appropriate it was that God chose to take him home on Father's Day, for he was not only a father and grandfather to his own children and grandchildren, but also a loving “second Dad” to many of their friends, as well as a friend and mentor to some younger men and women among his church family and co-worker family.

After earning his BS in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University, he entered the U.S. Air Force, where he was put in charge of software for the Minuteman Missile Program—then the nation’s first line of defense. From then on, it seemed he was destined for a career in Information Technology. After attaining the rank of Captain, Nathan left the Air Force to come “home” to Texas, working in the space industry for NASA contractors—first for TRW, then for Booz-Allen Hamilton, Mitre, MacDonnell-Douglas, and Boeing. Even a brief timeout working in the oil industry for Pullman-Kellogg saw him innovatively implement personal computers on the desk of every company engineer, for a great cost savings over the old giant computers. Nathan was a man who understood God’s view on authority; he would always give his boss his best advice, but if the boss wanted to go another way, Nathan supported him 100 percent.

Nathan was preceded in death by his father and mother, and by his son Travis Wade Laurence. He is survived by his son Dr. Gregory Nathan Laurence and wife Elizabeth Wilkey Laurence; daughter Tracy Allison Laurence; daughter-in-law Lora Bailey; and four grandchildren: Jacob Alexander Laurence, William Nathan Laurence III, Andrew Travis Laurence, and Victoria Elise Bailey Kadlecek, along with her husband Kyle Kadlecek. He is also survived by one sister, Charlotte Ann Mayo and husband Bradford; brother Michael Lynn Laurence and wife Margaret; brother Teddy Lamar Laurence and wife Sherrill; and a myriad of amazing nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be Wednesday, June 24, 10AM (visitation from 9 to 10AM) at Clear Lake Bible Church, 622 El Dorado, Houston, TX 77062, with his beloved pastor Kirk Gambrell officiating. Services will be livestreamed and recorded on the church YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGe4dH6gr5Tg3iQs95rbcSw/featured

Graveside services will be held at Prewitt’s Chapel Cemetery, Hornbeck, LA Thursday at 10AM with his cousin, Bro. Wayne Chance, officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in his memory to Community Bible Study, 790 Stout Road Colorado Springs, CO 80921-3802 (or CommunityBibleStudy.org)

A humble, patient, and generous man, Nathan will be greatly missed. But when he became very ill, he said that he wanted all to know that he was not afraid of death, for he knew that because he had simply put his trust in Jesus’ sacrificial death, his sins were forgiven and his eternity was secured for him in the family of God. He joyfully awaits all of us who have trusted Jesus.