Went to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 28, 2018. Ernest was born in Kalamazoo, April 15, 1929, the son of Leonard & Ura (Bailey) Lawson. He was a member of Bethel Baptist Church for many years. Mr. Lawson was a WWII Marine Corps Veteran and worked for the Upjohn Co. for 32 years, retiring in 1990. Ernest was an avid antique bottle collector and co-founder of the Kalamazoo Antique Bottle Club. He was also an active member of the Southwestern Michigan Seek & Search Metal Detecting Club of Plainwell. Ernie was a volunteer story reader, song leader and visitor for many different senior citizen individuals and groups. On November 9, 1949, he married Irene M. Hitzler, who survives. Also surviving are two daughters and spouses, Janet & Donald Church of Brentwood, TN; Patricia & Samuel Roach of Kalamazoo; three grandchildren Derek (Katherine) Church, Kevin (Stephanie) Church and Lindsay (David) Brooks; Great-grandchildren Garrison, Lawson, Timothy, Liam, Carter, Parker & Preston; several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by an infant son in 1950; his parents, Leonard & Ura (Bailey) Lawson; a sister Marjorie Munn of Pennsylvania; and two brothers, Leonard and Robert Lawson.