Lawrence J. Edwards

Lawrence Junior Edwards, 100, of Lawton, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, at Char-Mac Assisted Living in Lawton.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Community Presbyterian Church in Lawton, with the Rev. David Koehler presiding. Burial will be in Banner Township Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, with the family present 5 to 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, 1801 Morningside Ave., in Sioux City. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.christysmith.com .
Lawrence was born on Aug. 10, 1917, to Lawrence Jefferson and Zelma (McCleery) Edwards, near Correctionville, Iowa. He attended country school through seventh grade and graduated from Correctionville High School in 1936. Following graduation, he began farming.
He was united in marriage with Phyllis Wright on Jan. 1, 1940, in Sioux City. They started farming a rented 80 acres near Correctionville. Their first purchased farm was 320 acres between Moville and Lawton in 1944. They bought a farm on Highway 20 between Lawton and Sioux City in 1975.
In 1943, Lawrence decided to try the purebred hog business, when a neighbor had offered him a Poland sow. It was the beginning of a long, successful purebred Black Poland China hog business with his wife, Phyllis. Lawrence enjoyed showing his hogs at county and state fairs, where he won many top prizes. He sold purebred hogs to farmers in many states and had international sales to Canada, Mexico, and Taiwan. After 62 years, he retired from raising and selling hogs when he was 79 years old.
Lawrence loved his community and participated in community endeavors. He served many years as Lawton Pee Wee baseball coach, Lawton school board member, Banner Boosters 4-H leader, church usher, Woodbury County Fair board, and was County Pork Producers founding member. He was a Lawton-Bronson super sports fan and was given a special Sportsmanship Award twice at the Iowa Girls State Basketball tournament. He also was a fan of Morningside College, Iowa Hawkeyes, and St. Louis Cardinals. He bowled in leagues, tournaments, or jackpots until his 95th birthday.
Survivors include three daughters and their spouses, Sandra and Scott Newberry of Tucson, Ariz., Barbara and Gil Kettelhut of The Villages, Fla., and Janis and Steve Marlette of The Villages; daughter-in-law, Jayne Edwards of Sioux City; six grandchildren, Tom and Becky Edwards of Yutan, Neb., Dave and Jennifer Edwards of Sioux Falls, S.D., Scott and Lucy Newberry of Omaha, Heather Newberry of Chandler, Ariz., Toni and Alex Velong of Boynton Beach, Fla., and Zachary Mahloch of Omaha; 10 great-grandchildren, Jill, Kelsey, and Jack Edwards of Yutan, Cole, Cade, and Carson Edwards of Sioux Falls, Beau and Poppy Newberry of Omaha; and Hailey and Sierra Velong of Boynton Beach.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis; his son, Jim; a grandson, Christopher Marlette; a sister, Lela; and four brothers, Cecil, Lloyed, Leslie, and Oral.