Hal H. Lawler's Obituary
Obituary of Hal H. Lawler Please share a memory of Hal to include in a keepsake book for family and friends. View Tribute Book Hal H. Lawler passed away on July 1, 2025, in Nassau Bay, Texas, surrounded by his family and lifelong friends. He was 69 years old.Memorial - A celebration of Hal’s life will be held on August 2, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in La Porte, Texas, where Hal was raised and where he and his wife raised their own children. A reception will follow in Angel Hall at the church. Hal loved the islands and wore Hawaiian shirts throughout his adult life. In his honor, the family encourages all who attend to dress comfortably and colorfully—just as he would have wanted, in celebration of his infectious joy and the beautiful life he lived.About Hal - Born on December 19, 1955, in Pasadena, Texas, Hal is preceded in death by his parents, John D. (Jack) and A. Lou Lawler; his beloved in-laws, Jim and Dorothy Alexander; and his dear friend and brother-in-law, John Warren.Hal leaves behind his wife of 43 years, Janice (Jan) Alexander Lawler; his sister, Patsy Lawler Warren; his son, John Alexander Lawler, and wife Alexandra (Alex) Radtke; and his daughter, Kathryn (Katy) Elizabeth Lawler Ayoub and her devoted partner, Kimberly Valdez. He is also survived by former son-in-law and cherished friend, Daniel Ayoub; and his beloved grandchildren: Oliver Reynolds Ayoub, Sebastian Alexander Ayoub, and Hal “Little Hal” Patrick Lawler.He held deep affection for his extended family—including devoted in-laws such as brother/sister-in-law Sterling and Doris Alexander, who became like siblings, plus cherished cousins who spanned generations, and his dear nephews Chris/Misty Alexander, Matt/Lindsay Alexander, Charlottle Alexander, Andrew/Maddy Alexander, and all their beautiful children who brought him endless pride and joy. Hal’s life grew even richer in recent years when Elijah Valdez, Jacob Valdez, and Matthew Valdez became part of the family. Hal and Jan embraced this beautiful family, who seamlessly blended into the affectionately nicknamed “Lawlaxanders.” He took special joy in the family’s cherished Christmas tradition, “Christmas on the Bayou at Pops and Nana’s,” which, in his words, reached “a whole new level of merriment.”Raised in La Porte, Texas (“By the Bay”), Hal was the third of five generations of Lawlers to call La Porte home. Hal’s roots stretched from the cotton fields of West Texas to New Orleans society. He treasured the Gulf Coast—the taste of fresh seafood, the sound of seagulls, the rhythm of coastal tides—and also carried the entrepreneurial grit of his mother’s family, who migrated from Admiral, Texas to San Francisco during the Dust Bowl. A lifelong lover of books, Hal spent countless hours in libraries and bookstores, soaking up knowledge and ideas. Even as his eyesight declined, his curious mind and love of conversation never wavered.Hal’s values were shaped early on by the sportsmanship of football, scouting, and the example of his military-trained father and civically engaged mother. His kindness, generosity, integrity, keen intellect, emotional maturity, and humor were inherent—and only grew stronger with time.He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and pursued graduate studies in Finance and Futures Studies at the University of Houston. It was there, in a statistics class, that he met the love of his life, Jan. Hal often joked that taking business classes to meet women was a “highly successful strategy”—one he’d tease Jan about for years to come. They were married, settled in La Porte, and spent more than four decades building a life rooted in love, shared caregiving, deep friendship, and unwavering devotion.Hal’s quiet spiritual strength showed in his everyday choices. Like George Bailey from “It’s a Wonderful Life”—a comparison Jan often made—Hal built a legacy in his hometown, never chasing prestige but instead anchoring his life with intentional service. He continued the Lawler family’s entrepreneurial path, managing or participating in businesses that dated back to the 1940s, including the Main Street Café, the Oak Park Drive-In, Oak Park Dairy Mart, and the La Porte Oak Park RV Park. Hal was deeply committed to his community—whether through a helping hand or (sometimes) quiet gesture—and was a constant, loving presence to his family and friends.He approached each day with gratitude, met disappointment with grace, and—despite one less-than-stellar year learning the saxophone—embraced life with humor and joy.Hal and Jan were founding members of the La Porte Education Foundation, long-time members of the First United Methodist Church of La Porte—where they raised their children—and enthusiastic volunteers for Main Street improvement efforts.Through the years, Hal served on the executive board of the La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce, was a longtime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Association, and worked closely with the City of La Porte’s Parks and Recreation Department on numerous events, including parades and other ‘Clean-Up Green-Up’ initiatives to name a few. A proud Mason of 30+ years, Hal was appointed by Congressman Ken Bentsen to serve on a Draft Board, was later appointed to the Port of Houston Authority’s Community Advisory Committee; he served countless initiatives. Hal, Jan and parents and their children and many friends were long-time volunteers for the ministry of the Lou Lawler Seafarers Center at Barbours Cut Port of Houston terminal for several decades.Hal’s greatest civic passion was community planning. Recently retired as Commissioner of the Planning and Zoning Board for the City of La Porte, he served under five mayors and never shied away from difficult or unpopular conversations if he believed the outcome would ultimately benefit the community. He enjoyed working with the municipal staff over many years; and approached every decision with careful research, thoughtfulness, and a long-term view, championing the idea that cooperation, education, and strategic planning could protect both quality of life and the economic future of this community by the bay, La Porte. He lived by the philosophy that even though he may not sit under the trees he planted, their shade would inspire others.Hal also knew how to have fun. He loved snow skiing, scuba diving, parasailing, dancing, hot air ballooning, racquetball, swimming, building parade floats, camping, and river canoeing—especially with his “Island Bounders” friend group. He and Jan made many joyful memories sailing the bay and lakes together, from towing their tiny Sunfish behind Jan’s car to relaxing on larger boats docked at local marinas. Though Hurricane Ike claimed their final boat, it was the friendships built on the water that mattered most—and many of those friends stood beside Hal’s family to say goodbye on July 1.Travel was another source of joy. Hal and Jan explored the world together, with treasured trips to across the world. Some of his favorite memories were seeing some of the world’s immortal cities through the eyes of his children, Katy and John.Hal also deeply valued his spiritual community. His weekly gatherings with his prayer group meant a great deal to him, and the family extends heartfelt thanks to them, as well as to all who have offered condolences. Your kindness will never be forgotten.The family would like to express deep gratitude to Hal’s team of doctors who worked closely together a team, as healers and specialists to save his life multiple times and improve his quality of life including Dr. Christopher Hays, Dr. Manual Reyes, Dr. Thomas Hong, Dr. Michael Campbell, Dr Reshma Markan, Dr. Linda Pouzar, Dr. John Julius Volpi, Dr. Kurt Yaeger, and all their amazing assistants, and nurses with the Methodist system in the Texas Medical Center and Nassau Bay, including physician Dr. Jonathan Rebik and team on duty July 1, when the outstanding La Porte EMS brought him to the Nassau Bay Methodist emergency room. And to Dr Paul Stewart and the amazing staff and friends for so many years at the Eye Center of Texas, we thank you.Further recognition is extended to the owners and staff of the Clayton Funeral Homes in La Porte/Pearland. (claytonfuneralhomes.com) and to the La Porte First United Methodist Church staff and members for the kindness, ministry and assistance since Hal’s passing in preparation for his service on August [email protected] is available for those who cannot attend the service and have a story they wish to share with the family.
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