John is survived by his daughters, Eve Lawson and Amanda Santos; his grandson, Benjamin Santos; his former wife, Betty Lawson; and his brothers-in-law, Bruce and Richard Waddington. He is preceded in death by his wife, Joanne Waddington Lawson; his parents, Clement and Winnifred Lawson; and his sisters Mary Sitomer and Anne Hershey.
Born and raised in Morristown, NJ, John was a graduate of Northfield Mount Hermon School and Yale University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. He continued his studies at George Washington University earning a Master of Science in Engineering and completing PhD courses in Operations Research at Brooklyn Polytechnic University.
From 1967 to 1995, he worked in telecommunications at Bell Laboratories in Holmdel and Murray Hill, NJ. A skilled sailor, he served as Skipper and Chief Officer of the River Rats Sailing Club in Fair Haven, NJ. For many years he applied his extensive knowledge and passion for classical music to his position as Executive Director of the New York Choral Society, organizing and producing the choir’s international tours. Those included the Chinese premiere of Mahler’s 8th Symphony in Beijing in 2002, as well as Christmas concerts with Peter, Paul and Mary at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Locally, he served as Music Director of the Sussex County Oratorio and President of the Lake Owassa Community Association, the location of his family home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at the First Presbyterian Church of Branchville, 3 Wantage Ave, Branchville, NJ. In lieu of flowers a donation in John’s name can be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Branchville or the New York Choral Society.
