Longtime Lawrence CEO, YMCA supporter passes away

ROCK FALLS – A member of one of Sterling's oldest business families also helped to build one of northwest Illinois' biggest YMCA campgrounds.

John A. Lawrence, 87, died Thursday at his home in Rock Falls. He was CEO of Lawrence Brothers for more than 20 years. He served on the committee that established what is today YMCA Camp Benson near Mount Carroll.

Mary Benson of Sterling, whose husband, Keith, was president of National Manufacturing in Sterling, said the Lawrences and Bensons are good friends.

"The story is that John was very involved with the YMCA for many years. He was on the board of directors, and was instrumental in moving the camp from Galt to Mount Carroll," Mary said.

The YMCA camp was founded in 1928 in Galt, while the Mount Carroll site was Smith Park in the 1930s.

"In 1956, that piece of property in Mount Carroll became available. John was really the spearheader to get a camp in that location. It's gorgeous," Mary said.

John Lawrence was very community-oriented.

"He was very personable, very gentlemanly, very interested in his family. He loved to travel," Mary said.

Pete Dillon, with the Dillon Foundation in Sterling, said he always respected Lawrence.

"He was probably 10, maybe 12 years older than I. A lot of the people that I worked with at Northwestern Steel and Wire Co., they had a lot of respect for Lawrence Brothers," Dillon said.

Lawrence Brothers was founded in 1876 by John and Edwin Lawrence, and became a full-line hardware factory in 1940. The company was bought in 2001 by Howard Industries and renamed Lawrence Hardware, closing Oct. 6, 2006.