Frank W. Lawrence went home peacefully to the Lord on Sunday morning March 27, 2022, with his adoring wife, Jacqueline, holding his hand.
Frank was the son of Lester G. and Grace V. (Horner) Lawrence. He was born in Camden, N.J. on August 29, 1944 and grew up in Smyrna, DE and Bellmawr, NJ, although he claimed to have really “grown up” in Maine. He was a graduate of Triton High School and furthered his education with classes at Rutgers University. Frank and Jacqueline moved to Maine in 1979, which they found to be the perfect place to raise their two children, Frank and Kirsten. They never looked back.
Frank was a strong, but gentle, and confident, but humble man. He was generous of spirit with family, friends, and strangers. Over the years his wife began to realize that the handsome, capable man she married could fix anything and do almost anything to which he set his mind. He brought her ideas to life building furniture and making lamps. They remodeled houses together, worked on church projects, and had many sailing adventures in the Caribbean and off the coast of Maine. On one adventure he stood at the helm of the boat for eleven stormy hours until his family was safely at their destination.
He never tired of time spent with his family and had a wry sense of humor that could make laughter possible at the most unlikely times. For many years he and Jackie had a winter home in Englewood, Fl. And there they laughed, played and prayed with the dearest of friends and cousins.
He worked as a salesman for most of his life before retiring. Loving boats of all kinds, his favorite job as a young man was selling boats at Stone Harbor Yacht Corp in NJ, where he eventually became Sales Manager. He retired as Sales Manager from Dearborn Precision Tubular Products of Fryeburg, ME after 25 years.
Frank is predeceased by his parents as well as in laws: Bob & Joyce Grimmer, Carol Lawrence, and a nephew Kevin Lawrence.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jacqueline (Grimmer) Lawrence; his son Frank Lawrence and wife Julie; his daughter Kirsten Helfrich and husband Ian; grandchildren Brittany Strange and husband Heath, Jacob Lawrence, Anna Lawrence, Aaron Helfrich, Isaiah Helfrich and his great grandchildren Walter and Stella Strange, and his brother Gary Lawrence. Also surviving are much loved sister in law, Susan Paul; brother in law, James Grimmer and wife Michele; and many nephews, nieces and cousins.
An outdoor service of remembrance will be held on Saturday, May 7 at the Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene, 544 Post Rd, Wells, ME, 1 p.m.
The family is grateful for the excellent care Frank received through New England Cancer Specialists in Kennebunk and Hospice of Southern Maine.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: World Vision, P.O. Box 78481, Tacoma, WA 98481, or to Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine, P.O. Box 1807, Auburn, ME 04211.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolences, please visit Frank’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com
Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, 111 Chapel Road, Wells, ME 04090.