Donald E. Lawson

Donald E. Lawson, 82, a resident of Paramus, formerly of Glen Rock, Ridgewood and Mahwah, passed away on December 8, 2019 with family by his side.  Donald was predeceased by his parents Bayard and Gertrude Lawson and is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Joan Spendlove Lawson and his beloved Tonkinese cat, Freddy.

He was a devoted father and father-in-law to John M. Lawson and his wife Jennifer (Tolan) Lawson of Ridgewood, NJ and James A. Lawson and his wife Elizabeth (Kelly) Lawson of Chevy Chase, MD. Don was also a loving grandfather to Daniel, Gregory, Katherine, Timothy and Jillian.  He was a cherished brother and brother-in-law of Suzanne and Walter Guzzo.  Don will also be missed by his niece and nephew Megan and Patrick Guzzo.

A New Jersey native, Don was born and raised in East Orange where he graduated from Clifford J. Scott High School. He graduated from Princeton University in 1959, where he majored in Economics at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

After six months of active duty in the NJ Army National Guard at Fort Dix, Don began his career in the financial sector by day, and as a graduate student at night. He earned his MBA in Banking and Finance from New York University and completed all academic requirements for a Ph.D. He spent his entire career in the banking industry in Manhattan.

In retirement, Don resumed his long-time interest in watercolor painting. His local exhibits reflect his love of country scenes, fishing villages, boats and old buildings. He was a member of the Ridgewood Art Institute and was an “Art Angel” at his parish of St. Gabriel the Archangel Church of Saddle River, NJ. 

Throughout his life Don was a student of the World and a voracious reader, with varied interests spanning history, the humanities, physics and other sciences. His deep intellect and insatiable curiosity produced an undefeated record in the game of Trivial Pursuit.

Visiting Friday from 4:00-8:00 PM at the Feeney Funeral Home, 232 Franklin Ave., Ridgewood. Funeral Mass Saturday at 10:00 AM at St. Gabriel the Archangel RC Church, 88 E. Saddle River Rd., Saddle River. Interment to follow at Maryrest Cemetery, Mahwah.

In lieu of flowers, donations made in Donald’s name to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org) or the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge (rbari.org/donate) would be greatly appreciated.