Lawrence Hawthorne, Jr.

Day is done, gone the sun, from the lakes, from the hills, from the sky, all is well, safely rest, God is nigh. Lawrence Hawthorne Jr., cherished husband, father and grandfather, fell asleep in the arms of Jesus on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015.

Celebration of life: 10:30 a.m. Monday in the Pauline Minor Chapel of Gregory W. Spencer Funeral Directors, the Rev. Stephen Edwards officiating. Interment: 12:30 p.m. in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery with full military honors. Visitation: Family and friends will gather at the funeral home from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday for a time of reflection and remembrance.

Mr. Hawthorne was born April 9, 1933, in Fort Worth to Lawrence Hawthorne and Mae Etta Biggins Hawthorne. Lawrence grew up in Fort Worth, attending Gay Street Elementary and I.M. Terrell. Lawrence decided he wanted a better life and so he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1951 becoming a chef.

His culinary skills were so great that he was chosen to head the mess hall of Gen. Leonard F. Chapman who was at that time the commandant of the Marine Corps. He cooked for many dignitaries to include President Lyndon B. Johnson. Mr. Hawthorne proudly served his country for 21 years, retiring in 1972 at the rank of gunnery sergeant. He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam era. His love for the Marine Corps was apparent as he was rarely seen without his beloved Marine Corps retired ball cap.

After retiring from the Marine Corps, Lawrence attended college on the GI Bill earning a degree in automotive technology and a certificate in air conditioning and refrigeration. He became an auto mechanic working for the Department of Defense retiring with a disability in 1986.

In 1957 he married the love of his life, Daisy Moore, in New Bern, N.C., while serving at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., and they remained a loving and devoted couple for 58 glorious years. Their bond of love was very strong and evident to all who knew them. Lawrence was an extremely smart, gifted and hardworking man who could do anything he set his mind to. He was proud of and deeply loved his family.

Lawrence and Daisy moved to Fort Worth after his retirement from the Marine Corps. In 1983, they moved to Rocky Point, N.C., where they lived for 31 years. When it became apparent in 2014 that he had Alzheimer's disease, his family moved him back to Texas in order to care for him.

Lawrence was preceded in death by his father, Lawrence Hawthorne Sr.; his mother, Mae Etta Matthews; his brother, Charles Hawthorne; and his beloved grandmother, Emma Houston.

Survivors: Lawrence is survived by his dearly loved wife, Daisy; sons, Lawrence Hawthorne III and his wife, Deborah, of Arlington, Jeffrey Hawthorne and his wife, Esmeralda, of Lewisville, Darrell Hawthorne Sr. and his wife, Elelumhe, of Richmond; daughter, Stephanie Martin and her husband, Raymond, of Arlington; brother, Gary Matthews Sr. and wife, Maryann, of Reading, Pa.; 14 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; special daughter, Carol Beserra Hawthorne; sister-in-law, Barbara White and her husband, Randolph; brothers-in-law, Rudolph Moore and his wife, Deloris, Foster and Clifton Moore; and a host of other relatives and friends.