1932-2017
Ross Henning Lawrence, age 84, a resident of Belen, New Mexico, passed away on Tuesday, June 27, 2017. Ross was born on Dec. 18, 1932, in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He was a United States Marine in the Korean Conflict as an aviation ordinance man on four Navy aircraft carriers — arming and disarming the Corsair aircraft as they took off and landed on the carriers.
After the war, Ross was in the Marine Reserve for another 12 years. He attended gunsmith school in Denver. He joined the civil service as a quality control inspector working on missile sites throughout the Midwest, the C5-A in Georgia, the A-10 in Maryland and tanks in Germany. During his retirement, he lived in Utah and Pennsylvania, finally ending up in Belen, New Mexico.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Melbourne and Edna May Lawrence; brothers, Melbourne Lawrence and William Lawrence; sister, Bonnie Niskala; and grandchildren, Emily and Johnny Porter.
Ross is survived by his children, Kathy (Tim) Shiers, Michel (Ross) Shiplet, Lisa (Bryce) Hutchings, Jenny (John) Porter and Chase Haven (James); siblings, Lois Lawrence Kelly, Perry (Donna) Lawrence, James (Linda) Lawrence, Bonnie (Will) Snyder, Karen (Richard) Hepworth and Mark (Julie) Lawrence and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
A graveside service will be held on Monday, July 3 at the Tooele Cemetery, in Tooele, Utah, beginning at 10 a.m. Arrangements are being handled by the professionals at the Noblin Funeral Service Belen Chapel, 418 W. Reinken Ave., Belen, New Mexico 505-864-4448, where an online guest register is available at noblinfuneralservice.com.