Lawrence Gaddis, Jr., 84, died Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, at his home in Houston, Mo., in the presence of his loving wife, Jean.
Lawrence was born in Huggins, Mo., on May 31, 1931. He was the eldest son of Lawrence Ray Gaddis and Flossie Evelyn (Boykin) Gaddis.
Lawrence Junior, his sister Jonnie Evelyn, and his brother, Loman Lee, grew up together on their parents’ farm near Graff, Mo. They knew how to work hard and play hard. Lawrence knew when it was time to wake up and help milk the cows when he heard his dad throw pebbles on the tin roof above his attic room. And if you want a chuckle, Jonnie can tell you some stories…you could start with “Help, Crazies! Help!”
Lawrence went to Houston High School, graduating in 1949. Beginning in 1950 for about three years, he served in the Air Force as an airplane mechanic in Puerto Rico.
Around 1955, Lawrence married, Etta Louise Thomas, and moved to Kansas City, Mo. There he had two daughters and he worked at Bendix/Allied Signal as an inspector and later in his career was promoted to Supervisor of Inspectors. Since the company worked on contracts for the government, he couldn’t really say what he worked on. His daughters just thought he was inspecting “secret stuff.” He preferred actually doing the inspecting work rather than being a supervisor. But the supervisor position at least gave him a laugh or two—like when one of his guys rushed to the doctor in a panic because of specks he could see floating in his eyes, only to find out most people have them!
In 1976, he started a new chapter in his life when he married Jean. They lived for a time in Raymore, Mo., with her two daughters. Jean was a successful hair salon owner, and Lawrence had his sights set on retiring from Bendix. In the early 1980s, Lawrence’s dream came true when they built a home on a beautiful bluff above a creek, overlooking his farm near Licking, Mo. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, farming, gardening, being outside in nature and using his John Deere tractors. He was always happy to give a visiting youngster a thrill ride on a John Deere.
Lawrence still returned to the city often, because there was always a project to work on with his brother, Loman. They worked on cars, housing projects or maybe just the next prank to pull on Loman’s daughter, Loleta.
Lawrence loved “hunting.” In his younger years, he hunted wildlife, such as deer, turkey and quail. In later years though, he would rather just watch all that wildlife wander around in his “yard” at his house in the country. Every spring you could find Lawrence hunting mushrooms. One year an article was even published in the Raymore, Mo., newspaper because he found 36 pounds of mushrooms in one trip, including one that was the size of a cantaloupe. Lawrence was also an avid arrowhead hunter. Any time a field was freshly plowed up, he was wandering the rows looking for the telltale signs of the expertly carved Indian arrowheads.
Lawrence was an active member of Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Licking, Mo., where he had many good friends and was a loyal and faithful servant.
Lawrence was preceded in death by his mother, Flossie Gaddis on Jan. 26, 1989; his father, Lawrence Gaddis on April 3, 1992; brother-in-law, Carl Adey on Jan. 9, 2001; and his brother, Loman Gaddis on Aug. 28, 2010.
Lawrence is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jean (Wann) Gaddis. He is also survived by two daughters, Denise Gaddis of Flower Mound, TX; and Dana Gaddis of Bradenton, FL, two step-daughters: Bobbi (Duckett) Kumke and her husband, Steve, of Belleville, Ill., and Pamela (Duckett) Pedersen and her husband, Neal, of Bullhead City, Ariz.; step-granddaughter Chenelle (Findley) Carter and her husband, Derek, and their children, Tanner and Alexis, of Peculiar, Mo.; step-grandson, Shane Maxwell of Tennessee; sister, Jonnie (Gaddis) Adey of Licking, Mo.; sister-in-law, Sue (Pearcy) Gaddis of Lake Winnebago, Mo.; and many other dear nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends. He loved every one.
Graveside services are 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, at Arthur’s Creek Cemetery with Lonnie Roper officiating. Pallbearers were Randy Nickels, Cody Nickels, Steve Kumke, Don Goes, Larry Simmons and Bryce Phillips. Services were under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to Southwest Missouri Office on Aging’s In-Home Care programs for Texas County. Checks can be made out to SWMOA/Houston Senior Center, 1735 S Fort, Springfield, MO 65807, in memory of Lawrence. Online condolences may be sent to www.evansfh.com.
PAID
