Bryan Douglas Lawton's Obituary
Bryan Douglas Lawton, 51, passed away on March 7, 2019, due to complication of cystic fibrosis. Bryan lived life to the fullest, pushing well past the limitations of his disease. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School, where he played soccer and ran track. He was a graduate of the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in finance and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. For the past 24 years, he worked at Shelby Systems as a support team leader. He was an avid golfer and played and coached soccer, basketball and softball for many years. As a 21-year survivor of a double lung transplant, he attended the Mid-South Transplant Games, where he participated in racquetball, golf and bowling. He was a passionate Memphis Tigers fan and held season tickets to the Tigers football games. He was the current president of the board of the West Tennessee Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He was a lifelong member of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, where he served as a chalice bearer and usher.He was predeceased by his grandparents, The Rev. Canon Wallace M. and Frances R. Pennepacker. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline Rhea Lawton, his mother and stepfather, Jane and Steve Pienaar, his father, D. Bryan Lawton, his brother and sister-in-law, David and Kimber Pienaar, his children, Alexander Lawton and Spencer Lawton, his stepson, Thomas Palmer, his great-aunt, Dorothy Pennepacker, his aunt and uncle, Carol and J. Richard Walker, Jr., his nephew, Daylen Pienaar, his cousins, Sue Pennepacker, Dr. J. Richard Walker III, Carol Cline and Ethan and Preston Cline, and his step grandchildren, Charlie and Sam.The family would like to thank the doctors and nursing staff of the Transplant ICU at Baptist Memorial Hospital for their excellent and compassionate care of Bryan.Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 12th at 12 noon at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 3245 Central Avenue, with a service immediately following at 1:00 P.M. Burial will follow the service at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, West Tennessee Chapter, 5865 Ridgeway Center Parkway, Suite 300, Memphis, TN 38120 or to the charity of the donor’s choice.Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 767-8930. “A Fitting Farewell for Everyone”.
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