Lawson Moore Anderson Sr.

Lawson Moore Anderson Sr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, mentor and pastor, passed away in Little Rock, Arkansas, on Tuesday, the 16th of April. He was born on Sept. 20, 1920, in Helena, Arkansas to Virginia Lambert Anderson and John Lawrence Anderson. During his childhood, he developed a lifelong love of flowers while working in his mother's florist shop, collected snakes for the St. Louis Zoo, took up charcoal sketching, and graduated from Helena High School in 1938 where he played the tuba in the band, an instrument he enjoyed playing in his later years. His formal education started with study in forestry at Arkansas A&M in Monticello and his degree was completed at LSU in 1946, despite being interrupted for three years by WWII. He served in the Philippines and Japan with the U.S. Army 108th Engineer Combat Battalion, before his discharge as a Master Sergeant. He then began his civilian career as Assistant State Forester for the Arkansas Forestry Commission in Little Rock. On June 5, 1948, he married Dorothy Louise Storey in her father's Methodist church. After three years in forestry, he and Dorothy moved back to Helena where he continued his education taking courses from LSU that helped facilitate his eleven year banking career at Helena National Bank. At age 41, he acknowledged the call to the ministry, taking Dorothy and their four children to Austin, Texas, to attend the Theological Seminary of the Southwest. He was named "Best Suited for the Ministry" upon graduation, an honor translated into "Best Dressed" by his youngest child during a classroom "Show and Tell" session. In July of 1965 he was ordained a priest at the Episcopal Church's Camp Mitchell on Petit Jean Mountain. Throughout the years, he returned to Camp Mitchell as both staff member and camp director quickly gaining the admiration and affection of its young campers. St. Thomas, Springdale was his first parish, where he stayed for four years, over-seeing construction of a new church building. During these years, he also drove each Sunday morning to Siloam Springs to perform an eight o'clock service for a few faithful parishioners. He serenaded the occasional passenger, one of his children, with the harmonica that stayed in the glove box of his Volkswagen Beetle, coming out only for this Sunday morning ritual. He mastered the art of making stained glass figures and shared them at the War Eagle Craft Fairs. The circular stained glass window bearing the insignia of St. Thomas that resides behind the altar was his creation and gift to the church. In 1969, he accepted a call to Newport, Arkansas, serving there for seven years. His financial skills helped raise more funds than were needed to build an ecumenical chapel at Cummins Prison, which was completed in 1976. While in Newport, he resumed his childhood love of art by producing numerous oil paintings which now grace the walls of his children's homes. In 1975 he was named rector of St. Luke's in North Little Rock. There he sponsored a number of ecumenical programs, including a satellite operation of St. Francis House and services with 10 other churches in the community. He found time during his duties as a parish priest to serve the Episcopal Diocese of Arkansas as well. He served on the Executive Council three times, as president of the Standing Committee twice, on the Board of Trustees, as head of the Dept. of Finance, as a member of the Commission on Ministry, and as Chaplain to Retired Clergy. The most gratifying of his outreach endeavors was the Respite Care Program for people who require constant care throughout the day. This program was the united effort of five churches, with St. Luke's of North Little Rock providing the place and the other churches supplying volunteers and clients. Lawson's wide range of ministries to the public included being the first person in Arkansas to serve on a national crisis response team, NOVA (the National Organization for Victims' Assistance). Bringing this community service to Arkansas, Lawson led the initiative to create a crisis response network in the state. In 1998, the middle school shooting in Jonesboro put them to the task of counseling survivors and other responders. This concerted effort eventually evolved into the Arkansas Crisis Response Team. While at St. Luke's, he took a sabbatical in England and returned multiple times, often serving as tour director for groups of his parishioners visiting England and the United Kingdom. In 1980, he retired as a Captain after serving numerous years in various Army Reserve and Arkansas National Guard units, including serving as Commanding Officer of the 959th Engineer Company in Helena. In 1992, he received an honorary doctorate of divinity degree from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. The citation read in part: "You are the ‘quintessential parish priest' to those fortunate enough to know you. Because your approach is honest and direct, you are trusted. Because you know exactly where you are going, you are followed. Because of you, the faith has been proclaimed; the disturbed comforted; the comfortable moved to action; and the kingdom advanced." Upon retirement in 1992, he served Trinity Cathedral by supporting all aspects of parish life during the changing landscape of the church. He conducted a Wednesday morning service in the chapel and served as supply priest for the Tollville and Brinkley churches. He is preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy and brother, John. Survivors include their four children and their families: Betty Guhman and son Mark McGetrick of North Little Rock; Ginna Simmons and husband Tom and their children, Ginsie and Mary Katherine, of North Little Rock; Lawson Anderson Jr., Cheryl Anderson of Little Rock and their daughter, Alexis; Kay Gay and husband, Denton of Springdale and children Richie, and Hillery and husband Josh Hickman, and their children, Kyleigh and Hudson. Special love and gratitude goes to family friend, Margaret Cavenaugh and especially to beloved companion, Barbara Fennell, who cared for Lawson and befriended the family for five years. The family would like to thank the staff at Fox Ridge Assisted Living in North Little Rock and at Parkway Village Health Center for their diligent and patient care of their father. A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at Trinity Cathedral in Little Rock and spreading of ashes will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Helena. Memorials may be made to Easter Seals of Little Rock at 3920 Woodland Heights Rd., Little Rock, Arkansas 72212 and The Parkinson's Disease Foundation, c/o the Pat Walker Center for Seniors, 19 E Appleby Rd, Fayetteville Arkansas 72703. Arrangements by Huson Funeral Home of Sherwood. Sign an online guest book at www.husonfuneralhome.com.