Doyle Lawless

Rev. Doyle K. Lawless, Sr.
December 12, 1921- August 20, 2014

Rev. Doyle K. Lawless, Sr. went to be with our Lord on Wednesday, August 20, 2014. His service will be 10 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church in Antlers, Okla. by Rev. Ron Dummer. The graveside service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at the China Spring Cemetery by Rev. Roy Marshall.

Doyle Lawless was born on December 12, 1921, in Sobel, Oklahoma, to A.A. Sr. and Leona Clark Lawless. In 1939, he served in Civilian Conservation Corps and in 1940 Doyle was in the U.S. Army in France on D-Day +3 and served there until Christmas of 1945. He and Lona B. Duniho were married on January 11, 1941. After WWII, Doyle and Lona B., the love of his life, moved to Irving, Texas. He worked for the Texas Company, which we know now as Texaco Gas Stations. They joined the Baptist Church in Irving and he started teaching a boy's Sunday school class. Through that experience Doyle felt called to be a preacher. So, they sold their home and moved to Waco so he could attend Baylor University. A funny story: he says he almost failed his first speech class. He graduated from Baylor in 1951 and from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1954. While in Baylor he began his first ministry at the Baptist Church in Billington, Texas, between Mt. Calm and Axtell. He served as pastor of other Oklahoma churches in Grant, Talihina and Atoka, Oklahoma. The family moved back to Waco and for 23 years Doyle pastored Grace Temple Baptist Church where he retired in 1987. After his retirement, he served as interim pastor in several churches in South East Oklahoma. Doyle thought of himself more of a pastor, rather than a preacher. He was an avid hunter, fisherman, gardener, bird raiser and bee keeper. He and Mattie Clymer were married on October 26, 1991.

He was preceded by his parents; his first wife, Lona B. Lawless; sisters, Lois and husband Lewis Duniho, Sybill and husband Wilmer Dummer; and brother, Wayne and wife Serena Lawless.

Doyle is survived by his wife, Mattie Clymer Lawless; sons, Doyle Lawless, Jr. and wife,
Shirley, and James Lawless; grandchildren, Jennifer and husband Russell Grimm, Justin and wife Tara Lawless, Jeffrey and wife Angelique Lawless; great grandchildren, Zachry and Zane Grimm, Colton and Addison Lawless; brother, A.A. Jr. and wife Patsy Lawless; stepsons, Dr. Ed Clymer, Dr. Eric Clymer and Jeff Clymer. Also surviving are many loving and caring nieces, nephews, family and friends.