Gary Wayne Lawley

Gary W. Lawley was born in Birmingham, AL to Virginia Jennings Lawley-Kilgore and USAF Retired MSgt. Herbert B. Lawley. He was lovingly raised in a military home and was greatly influenced by his father and his second mother, Elizabeth Lawley (Mom-Ibby). Gary passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at the age of 78.

Gary was a proud member of the U.S. Army, where he was a decorated officer and a member of the elite 82nd Airborne Green Beret Special Forces group. He served time working with the 101st Airborne group, and was a recipient of the coveted Silver Star Award, two Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts, and a myriad of other medals and distinctions of bravery and valor. Gary served three tours in Vietnam during the height of the conflict. Upon being honorably discharged from active duty service, he became an active member of the Alabama Army National Guard where he served until retirement. During that time, Gary was a career civil servant, working for the Office of Personnel Management, the Office of Civil Rights, and post 9/11, the Department of Defense.

After his retirement from Civil Service, he formed a company called P-3, Inc. (Positive Personal Programs) with Helene Camp, his partner and dear friend, where they worked in service of others to provide positive outcomes for their clients internal and life struggles.

Gary was a lifelong learner and always had a curiosity and quest for knowledge. He obtained two undergraduate degrees, and a master’s degree. He was an ordained minister with the Unitarian Church. He was a licensed hypnotherapist, a licensed dream analyst, a licensed handwriting analyst, and a counselor. Gary was a part-time college professor, and he taught night courses for a number of years at Brenau University, as well.

Gary was a published author, an avid reader, a consummate poet, an artist, and a numismatist. He had a love of music, taught himself to play the guitar and had a deep sense of fun and adventure throughout life. He especially enjoyed playing Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings songs. Another thing that Gary particularly excelled in was fishing. He enjoyed both fresh and saltwater fishing; and somehow was the one that always ended up with the biggest or most fish caught.

Gary was predeceased by his parents and his older brother, USAF Ret. MSgt. Herbert B. Lawley, II. Gary is survived by his three daughters, Michelle Lawley, Angela L. Turner (Jeff), and Danielle L. Marks; his younger sister, Diann K. Reese (Lynn); his younger brother, Charles R. Kilgore (Joan); his 8 grandchildren: Andrew and Austin Marks, Jamie and Ashley Nelson, and Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachael, and Nathan Brown; as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and other extended family members.

Donations may be made in his memory to Homeless Veterans of America, https://www.homelessveteransofamericainc.info/#Donate.

A celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home in Warner Robins, GA.

For friends unable to attend at this time, the service will be streamed live via the McCullough Funeral Home Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcculloughfuneralhome/live/.

Learn about the measures McCullough Funeral Home is taking to ensure the health and safety of our guests at mcculloughfh.com. There you can also sign an Online Registry for the family. McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.

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