Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend Gary Porter Lawrence passed away Oct. 31, 2021, at the age of 81. He passed away peacefully at his home in Mountain Home, Idaho, with his wife by his side.
Gary was born in Grantsville, Utah, Sept. 19, 1940, the youngest of eight children to Victor Walton and Lovina Ann Hodgson Lawrence. He grew up ranching in Nevada, Utah, and Idaho. He loved to share tales of his youthful adventures working and playing with many friends and nephews on the ranches. He loved the cowboy life and also enjoyed calf roping and rodeo adventures that he often participated in. He loved the outdoors and took advantage of fishing on the Bruneau River along with camping and cooking a great meal in his Dutch ovens.
He had a great love of botany and gardening, studied at BYU and became an educator in biology where he taught in a college in Wyoming, high schools in Alabama, Utah, and Wendover, Nevada, (also golf coach and traveled to Las Vegas every year with a team in the science fair). In his last few years when he was a little less active, he loved taking long rides out in the country where farmland, dairies and cattle brought him great joy.
He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served a mission for two years in Australia.
On Jan. 9, 1996, Gary and Glenna were married in Kearns, Utah, and extended the family to nine children. He is survived by his wife Glenna, and his seven children Kenneth (Tina) Lawrence, Randon (Julene) Lawrence, Gregg (Deanna) Lawrence, Tamara (Matt) Klemish, Joshua Lawrence, Lindsay Johnson, and Jordan (Tiffany) Wagner; two step-daughters Michelle (Travis) Martin and Tina (Simon) Villanueva; along with 30 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren (eight of which are extended). He is also survived by his brothers Russ Lawrence and Utah Lawrence. He was preceded in death by his mother Lovina; father Victor; two sisters Ruth Bevan and Myrt Barrus; and three brothers Chester, Clifford and Robert Lawrence.
A viewing will be held at the LDS Church House, 81 N. Church St., Grantsville, Utah, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, at 10 a.m. The funeral will be held immediately after at 11 a.m. Interment will be at the Grantsville City Cemetery.
Gary, you will be missed but we know that a cowboy at heart never dies, so it is fair to say that you are still a “Cowboy.” ”A Cowboy in Heaven!”