Funeral services for William "Bill" Lawrence age 59 of McLaughlin will be 1:00 PM CT Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at McLaughlin Blue Gym. Burial will be in the St. Aloysious Catholic Cemetery in Bullhead under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge, SD. All night wake will begin on Monday at 5PM at the McLaughlin Blue Gym. William passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2014 at Sanford Health Center in Bismarck, ND.

Bill was born on December 20, 1955 to Joseph and Elaine (Antelope) Lawrence in McLaughlin, SD. He attended grade school at Eagle Butte, SD and McIntosh, SD. He attended Standing Rock Community School during his junior high years, and the first two years of high school. He then attended McIntosh High School for his junior and senior year. He enjoyed playing sports in high school especially football where he excelled.
After High school, he attended United Tribe Technical College in Bismarck, ND, where he completed training as an auto mechanic.

He enjoyed the rodeo life and rode bareback and bull-riding. He worked on ranches, a heavy equipment operator and then a maintenance specialist for the Standing Rock Housing Authority. He worked at this job for 14 years. Bill truly loved working as maintenance technician. He considered this job a challenge and his calling in life.

Bill married the love of his life Linda M. DeRockBraine on December 20, 1973. This was a very loving union to which four children were born. Bill was a hands on father and helped raise his own children, grandchildren and also opened up their home to emergency foster care for children in need of a home. He was a no nonsense type of person but had a very big loving heart and showed his love to his wife, children and grandchildren in many ways.

His life philosophy was that there is always more to learn and experience to live. Bill lived life to its fullest and always ready with a helping hand to anyone who asked him for anything. If he had it, he would give it.

Grateful for sharing his life is his wife of forty-one years, Linda Lawrence, his four children, April (Percy) Lawrence, Michael (Leslie), William J. Lawrence, and Joseph (Bariel), his grandchildren, Darcie Martin, Christine Lawrence, Tyler Archambault, Kaylee Martin, Nina Martin, Andrew Lawrence, Sean Lawrence, Avery Lawrence, Gwendolyn Lawrence, and Shayne Lawrence, Ball Xavier Alexander, three sisters, Lavonne Schmidt, Eleanor Fuchs, Emily Lawrence, brother Leonard Lawrence