Douglas D. Lawrence

Douglas Dee Lawrence, 91, passed away on December 1, 2022, in Carmel, Indiana. Doug was born in Elmville, Kentucky on April 3, 1931 to Ethel and Earl Lawrence. He grew up in Kentucky, and later moved with his parents and siblings to Indianapolis, Indiana where he graduated from Shortridge High School. After high school, Doug served as a paratrooper in the US Army.

Doug joined the Indianapolis Police Department in 1955, where he later met Charlene, his wife of fifty years. After retiring from IPD in 1979, Doug’s next career was with the Indianapolis Airport Authority as Director of Public Safety over the police and fire departments where he worked for more than 15 years.

Doug enjoyed traveling with Charlene on multiple trips to Europe, summers in Macatawa, Michigan, and winters in Venice, Florida with family and friends. Doug was an avid collector of many things, but especially of seashells and shark’s teeth from Venice Beach. He followed college sports, especially Charlene’s alma mater Michigan State. Doug was always eager to share stories of his grandchildren and their various activities. He never met a stranger as he would talk to anyone. He could always be found Saturday mornings at the Illinois Street Emporium and Sunday mornings visiting area hardware stores with his “big” brother, Jimmy. He was a fixture in his neighborhood for over forty years, making lots of friends, two of his favorites being Gabe and Quinn, who could always count on Doug to bring them cookies and pudding.

Doug was preceded in death by his parents and brother Jim (October 2021).

Doug is survived by his wife Charlene, children Chiki Lawrence, Salina, Colorado, Karon (Gary) Harrison, Clayton, North Carolina, and Kevin (Michelle) Lawrence, Westfield, Indiana; 14 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; sisters Caroline Hodgin and Debby Blankenhorn, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be Saturday, December 10, 9-11am at Indiana Funeral Care, Harry W. Moore Chapel (https://www.indianafuneralcare.com/), 8151 Allisonville Rd, Indianapolis, Indiana 46250, with funeral at 11am. Internment at Crown Hill Cemetery (https://crownhillhf.org/visit/), 3400 Boulevard Place, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Charitable donations may be made to Promedica Hospice Memorial Fund, https://avanan.url-protection.com/v1/url?o=https%3A//www.promedica.org/waystogive/hospice-memorial-fund/&g=OGVmN2M5NWEzZjhkNDM4Mg==&h=NGRlZTcwYzA2NjY2ZTBmYTc0ZjQwOWQzZTFkNTkyY2M2Y2JkYzBmYTVmM2VjMzM4MWUwN2U5NDc0MTQ4NWE5Yw==&p=YXAzOmluZGlhbmFmdW5lcmFsY2FyZTphOm86MzQ0ZTY4NjU2MjA0OWIzYmIzMTNhNWMyNDQ5MzlhYzI6djE6aDpU