Howard B. Lawson passed on peacefully in his Heritage House residence on January 31, 2013. Howard was born December 25, 1919 and just beginning his 94th year. Howard was born in Colony, Oklahoma and moved to Long Beach, California in the mid-1920’s.
Howard attended Jordan High School and then entered Biola College in Los Angeles from 1937 to 1940. He married Janice M. Brittain in 1940 in Long Beach. Howard was an accomplished and devoted trumpet musician and traveled throughout the country with the Biola Trumpet players, a hot brass foursome in the early 40’s.
Howard also became an expert photographer at the time he and Janice started their family. He continued to study photography along with his son Mike in Santa Barbara. Howard also continued to read and research other important topics including politics and religion.
Howard spent the first half of his business career as a developer and homebuilder with Harry L. Brittain in Los Angeles, Whittier and Santa Maria, California constructing single family homes and commercial buildings. He later went on to become a savings and loan executive, where he managed real estate projects throughout California.
He is survived by his two sons, H. Gregory Lawson and H. Michael Lawson. Greg’s family includes his wife, Julie and four sons, Kerry, Koby, Kenny and Jason along with grandsons Damon, Connor, Ben, Harry, Charlie and Nicholas and two granddaughters, Angelinda and Chloe. Mike’s family includes his wife, Barbara and three daughters, Alyssa, Brianna and Kaila.
A private family grave side service was held at Santa Barbara Cemetery on February 8, 2013, where he will reside with his beloved wife, Janice.
Arrangements entrusted to Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels.
