William Bill Lydia Lawing, Jr.

Bill Lawing 86, of Winston-Salem passed away peacefully at his home Saturday evening. He was born in Nebo, NC, where he was raised alongside eight other siblings by William Lawing, Sr., and Margie Bowman Lawing. He graduated from Nebo High School in 1940 and moved to Winston-Salem soon afterward where he met Avis Bodenheimer at a boarding house. Both of them continued a three-and-a-half-year courtship through correspondence during World War II as Bill served as an army medic in Europe. Bill and Avis married a week after his return on January 3, 1946, and celebrated their sixty-third wedding anniversary this year. Bill began a life-long career as a barber under the initial tutelage of John Holcomb before establishing his own barbershop at Northside Shopping Center in 1958. Bill built the barbershop, along with the support of Jerry Bennett, Darnell Gobble, Clark Smith and several others, into one of the largest shops in Winston-Salem. Bill owned the shop until 1989 and continued to cut hair until he was 84. Bill was a member of Northwest Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher throughout his adult life. He was an avid sports fan and golfer and loved maintaining a garden which enabled him to grow many annual tomatoes which he enjoyed giving to family and friends. He is survived by a devoted wife, Avis Lawing of Winston-Salem and three children, Linda Hargrave and her husband Loftin of Winston-Salem, Bill Lawing and his wife Cynthia of Davidson, NC, and Barry Lawing of Winston-Salem; five granddaughters,Ashley Maggio and her husband Jason of Raleigh, Brittany Davis of Winston-Salem, Mei Lawing-Ellis and her husband William of Glen Burnie, MD, and Gloria and Christina Lawing of Davidson; and one great-granddaughter, Sophia Maggio of Raleigh. Bill is also survived by six siblings, Gene Lawing of Fayetteville, NC, Milford Lawing of Matthews, NC, Marie Bowers of High Point, Hubert Lawing of Springfield, MA, Reba Falls of Winston-Salem, Raymond Lawing of Rural Hall and was preceded in death by brothers Alvin and Paul Lawing. Visitation will be Monday from 6:00-8:00 at Hayworth-Miller Funeral Home, 3315 Silas Creek Parkway. The funeral service will be held at Northwest Baptist Church at 11:00 AM Tuesday. Burial will follow in Forsyth Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations to Northwest Baptist Church, 407 Petree Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106 would be appreciated.

Memorials:
Northwest Baptist Church, 407 Petree Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106

Cemetery:
Forsyth Memorial Park

Visitation:
06:00pm - 08:00pm on May 25, 2009 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel

Service:
Service at 11:00am on May 26, 2009 at Northwest Baptist Church