By MIKE HELM

Chadbourn Town Councilman David Lawrence, a respected educator and former star athlete, died Tuesday at his home in Chadbourn after a long fight with prostate cancer.

He served as a member of town council since 1995 and was elected mayor pro tempore by the board this year.

Lawrence, 58, worked for 16 years as assistant principal in Columbus County Schools, acting as disciplinarian, motivator and mentor to children at Hallsboro Elementary School, East Columbus High School, West Columbus High School and most recently, Williams Township School.

Williams’ Principal Mitch Nance said Lawrence was very supportive of the school and community.

“Before he came here, he mostly had high school experience but he adapted to the smaller children and really enjoyed it,” Nance said. “He was a big fella by stature and had a big heart as well. He certainly is going to be missed by the Williams Township family.”

Chadbourn Mayor Kenneth Waddell said Lawrence was happy to be able to attend meetings at the recently completed town hall.

“He was a very level-headed councilman,” Waddell said. “H e always had his homework done and was interested in the well-being of the town.”

“Chadbourn is going to miss David Lawrence,” Waddell added. “He was a good ambassador for our community. He had the ability to understand people and to work with people.”

Former Chadbourn Mayor Leo Mercer said Lawrence was a good man to work with and had the best interests of the town in his heart.

“He was a good friend to me for many years,” Mercer said. “I knew him when he was in high school and I knew his family before that.”

Born April 24, 1948, to Horace and Mary Brinkley Lawrence of Chadbourn, David Lawrence graduated from West Columbus High School in 1966. A star athlete, he was MVP on the basketball team and the first black to play in the N.C. East-West All-Star basketball game.

He was a freshman starter on the 1968 Moberly Junior College national championship team and was named best defensive player on Kansas State University’s 1970 Big 8 championship team.

Lawrence received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kansas State University and a second master’s in educational leadership from North Carolina Central University.

He became an officer in the United States Army Reserve in 1973 and served for 16 years.
From 1970 through 1988, he coached basketball at Kansas State University, Jacksonville University, Pensacola Junior College, Tate High School and Durham High School.

Lawrence is survived by his daughter Tonia (Thomas) McDonald, four grandchildren, three brothers and six sisters.

The funeral will be Saturday at West Columbus High School. (See obituary).

Staff writer Ginny Haley contributed to this story