Richard David “Dick” Lawson

Richard David “Dick” Lawson, aged 86, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, May 30^th, 2025. Dick’s compassion, wry smile and dry sense of humor was appreciated by everyone he met.  Growing up in Dover, he spent a lot of his time hunting, fishing and exploring the outdoors – a passion that never ended.

A proud Senator, he graduated from Dover High School in 1957.  After high school, he worked in computers at Playtex in Dover, where he met his future bride of 61 years, Patricia King.

In 1967, Dick followed in his brother Donald’s footsteps, when he was sworn in as a Delaware State Trooper. He was stationed in patrol at Troops 1, 4, 3, and 9, as a detective at Troop 3, and at the SBI and Headquarters in Education, spanning a 21-year career. He earned an Associate’s Degree in computer systems from Delaware Technical & Community College. Following the State Police, he pursued a career in banking at Equitable Bank of MD and then MBNA.  Never one to rest, following his retirement from MBNA, he finished working as an investigator for the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles.  Dick also served the citizens of Delaware in the National Guard, as a Life Member of the Robbins Hose Fire Company, as a Little League coach and umpire, and as a Cub Scout leader and Scoutmaster in Dover, Delaware.

Dick loved the outdoors and being in nature.  He was a lover of all animals. He particularly loved his numerous Labrador Retrievers, as well as being a granddad to his sons’ families’ dogs. Dick was a US history buff especially of the Civil War and Revolutionary War era.  He spent a great deal of time with his family, visiting many of our nation’s battlefields across the states.

Dick loved the beach and ocean as well, spending time there each summer, first at the Delaware beaches and later with his family at their vacation spot in Virginia Beach.

More than anything, Dick loved his family and would do anything in the world he could for all his family members.  He maintained an extensive collection of family history books through which he often pored and would recite stories of near and long ago of many of his forebears.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Artus D. Lawson and Mildred Stayton Lawson; big sister, Jean E. Sweetman (Bayard); big brother, Donald S. Lawson Sr. (Margaret); and nephew, Donald S Lawson Jr.  He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia Ann King Lawson; their two children, David Artus Lawson (Kimberly), and Christopher Richard Lawson (Beverly).   He was a proud granddad to Ryan Douglas Lawson, Quinn Walker Lawson, Artus David James Lawson II (AJ) and Kieran Connor Montgomery Lawson.  He is also survived by two nephews, Gary Sweetman (Beverly) and Bayard “Dave” Sweetman (Sherry).

In keeping with his personal wishes, services will be held privately.