Robert Cress Lawrence, “Bob”, passed away on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at his home in Yorktown, Virginia. He was 94 years old, less than one month short of his 95th birthday.
Bob was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan to Marguerite A. Essenburg and Lewis W. Lawrence, both of Holland, Michigan. Bob had one brother, William R. Lawrence, who preceded in death on June 8, 2021.
Bob was a graduate of Benton Harbor High School, Class of 1949. After graduation Bob went to Western Michigan College for 2 years. However, being in the Naval Reserve, Bob was called to active duty in December 1951, and also offered Naval Flight School. He served in the Navy with the Com Phib Lant Admiral’s Flag out of Little Creek, Virginia until his discharge in October of 1953.
Bob then enrolled at Michigan State and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering in 1959. Bob was always proud that his diploma read Michigan State University, not “College”, the first year with the new name.
During Bob’s time on active duty he married his first wife and over the years had 6 children, a first born son and then 5 daughters. The son, Jeffrey, died at age 19 in a car accident. Since then he has also lost 3 daughters: Diana, Kathy and Melissa. Lisa Hill, of Phoenix, Arizona and Vicky Lawrence, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, remain and have been in constant touch with him. Also remaining from the first marriage are 11 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
In 1976, Bob moved from New York to Newport News, Virginia, and on September 4, 1977 married Lorna Sawyer Molnar. Lorna had been a Health and Physical Education Teacher for the Newport News Public Schools for 15 years and then a Guidance Counselor for 20 years. She retired in 2006 with 35 years of service.
The union between Bob and Lorna produced two more children: Robert “Bobby”, born in 1979, married Eve Pollard and had 2 girls: Leah and Zoe. Lynda, born on Lorna’s birthday in 1981, married Jaimey Pease and had a son and daughter: Sebastyn and Dylan.
In Virginia, Bob went to work for Newport News Shipbuilding, the largest employer in the state, the shipyard that builds all the nations nuclear aircraft carriers and half of the nuclear submarines. He was an Industrial Engineer and retired in 1996.
Bob and Lorna were married for 48 years and were just 2 months short of their 49th wedding anniversary. Bob is also survived by his sister-in-law, Donna Sawyer, of Delmar, New York, her two daughters, Kristen (Bob) and Kara (Mantej), and two granddaughters.
I will mention here that Bob wrote most of this obituary himself some years ago. In his own words he said: “Bob enjoyed a long and full life. Besides working he played tennis, both in high school and college, and continued to play for many years after that”.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at Weymouth Funeral Home. Interment will follow at 3:00 p.m. at the Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, Virginia.
