Leslie Wilson Lawrence, 98, died Saturday, February 28, 2009, in St. Luke's Hospital

following a long illness.  Memorial services will be 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4 at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, temporarily located at 3100 F Avenue NW, with Rev. Sonda Kirsteatter of Olivet Presbyterian Church.  Inurnment will be in Czech National Cemetery at a later date.  Friends may call from 10:30 a.m. until service time at Brosh Chapel.

Survivors include his daughter, Donna Jeanne Burian of Iowa City; his son, L. Michael Lawrence and wife Deborah of Cedar Rapids; a niece, Nancy Meyn of Cedar Rapids; a nephew, Thomas Meyn of Bristol, Indiana; a niece, Kathy Poldberg of Cedar Rapids; six grandchildren, Mark Burian, Greg Burian, Kathy Reichelt, Philip Burian, David Lawrence, Gina Holmstedt; 14 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and other loving family members and friends.

Leslie was born September 1, 1910, the son of William and Gertrude Lawrence, and was a life-long resident of Cedar Rapids.  He married Blanche Marie Stolba on June 10, 1935, at Olivet Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, and was preceded in death by her in 2004 after 69 years of marriage.

Leslie was a gentle, loving, and generous man who lived a life exemplifying his strong faith, and his family was always of highest priority.  He was a true sportsman in many ways, enjoying and excelling in fly rod fishing, softball, golf, bowling, and hunting.  He earned many awards and trophies over the decades of his sporting years including induction into the Iowa Softball Hall of Fame, one of his proudest moments.  His working career was at the Cedar Rapids Gazette as a compositor, until his retirement 36 years ago.

His family is very grateful for the blessing of his wonderful long life.  Our Dad was the kindest and most considerate man we've known.