Edward C. Lawhead, Jr., age 73, longtime resident of Collierville, TN, Russellville, AL, and Chicago/Burnham, IL, passed away November 9, 2020 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Collierville, TN. He was born in Chicago, IL on December 26, 1946 at Our Little Company of Mary Hospital to father, Edward C. Lawhead, Sr., and mother, Lillian Elizabeth Zbur Lawhead. Edward was married to the former Mary C. Bishop and together they have two sons, David A. Lawhead and John Paul Lawhead. He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Elizabeth A. Lawhead, Kathleen M. Lawhead Bowman, Teresa M. Lawhead and a brother, Michael A. Lawhead.
Edward grew up in the South suburbs of Chicago, IL - Burnham, IL where his father was Chief of Police and Chief of the Volunteer Fire Department and Calumet City, IL where he graduated from T.F. North High School. He volunteered to serve four years in the United States Marine Corps (January 7, 1965 to January 7, 1969) serving 25 months in Vietnam and achieving the rank of Sergeant E-5. After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps in 1969, Edward used his G.I. Bill Benefit to attend college at St. Joseph’s Calumet College in East Chicago, IN, graduating 2nd in his class (Salutatorian) in 1973 with a Degree in Business Management.
After graduating from college, he and his family moved to the small Northwest Alabama town of Russellville, AL where he accepted a position as Marketing/Advertising/Public Relations Director at Citizens Bank & Savings Company. He spent over 29 years with the bank rising to the level of Vice-President before retiring on December 31, 2003. He loved the Advertising & Marketing duties of the bank where he continually developed and implemented creative and novel ways to communicate his Bank Brand to the Citizens Bank customers. He always said “I was fortunate to work in the banking/finance sector when banking was actually fun.” He couldn’t have accomplished his Marketing/Advertising goals without the continued support of the then Bank President, H.E. (Gene) Pace, who not only approved all of his creative efforts but also was happy to participate in the festivities. His favorite President Pace roles were when he was Papa Smurf in the Annual Russellville Christmas Parade and sang/played guitar as one of the Country Music Star Statler Brothers in a bank employee Christmas party. Edward was a graduate of the School of Bank Marketing, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO and the Graduate School of Banking of the South, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA. He was also an instructor for the American Institute of Banking for several years.
Edward moved to Collierville, TN in May 2005, accepting a Management Position with the Bank of America in Memphis, TN. After a few years with Bank of America, he retired to pursue his love of traveling America, riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle, and especially, visiting with family and friends. His loving family celebrates his life. He loved his sons and grandchildren. They all knew without a doubt that he “would always be there for them if needed”...any problem they had in their lives was his problem too, if they just asked. He lived and breathed the U.S. Marine Corps philosophy - “When confronted with a problem in life, Adapt, Improvise and Overcome Whoever or Whatever Obstacle You Face!” He was proud to be Irish, to be a Marine Corps veteran and he loved the theater/movies - especially John Wayne.
He is survived by his two sons, David A. Lawhead of Muscle Shoals, AL and John Paul Lawhead (wife Jacqui) of Helena, AL and twin grandchildren, Caroline Elizabeth Lawhead and David “Chase” Lawhead.
Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, November 12, 2020 at Collierville Funeral Home in Collierville, TN. A Celebration of Life service will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, November 13, 2020 at Collierville First Baptist Church in Collierville, TN with Pastor Chuck Herring officiating. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. in East Franklin Cemetery, Franklin County, AL. In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis or Collierville First Baptist Church in Collierville.
