John E. Lawler, Sr., 93, of Yonkers New York, passed away on Holy Thursday, April 6, 2023.
John Edward was born in the Bronx on September 26, 1929, the third of eleven children to Margaret (Stevens) and Daniel A. Lawler. Raised in St. Brendan’s parish (Norwood, The Bronx) he graduated from Power Memorial HS and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. In 1956, John earned a B.A. from Fordham University’s School of Undergraduate Education through the G.I. Bill, and attended its School of Law at night, graduating in 1960. John’s seven-decade career as an attorney and counsellor-at-law began in maritime law as an associate at the firm of Mendes and Mount. He opened his general law practice in Yonkers in 1972, also served in Yonkers Corporation Counsel in the mid-1980s, and resumed his solo practice which continued into his nineties.
In 1963, he married the love of his life, Florence Devlin, and they enjoyed 44 years of marriage until her passing in 2007. They moved to Yonkers in 1968, raising their six children in their Dunwoodie home on Yonkers Avenue. John lived there until 2021 when he moved to the Fountains at RiverVue.
John was the loving father of: John (Ilsa) of Redmond, WA; Gregory (Camille) of Nashville, TN; Celeste (Patrick) Hughes of Crestwood, NY; Clare (Colum) Kilgallen, of Greenwich, CT; Brian (Meg) of Briarcliff Manor, NY; and Bernadette (Jason) Sciarabba of Pittsford, NY. He was the cherished grandfather of 16 grandchildren: Aidan and Sabrina; Ryan, Gregory and Julia; Connor, Evan and Griffin; Peter, John, and Daniel; Cassie and Luke; Hope, Henry, and Harrison. “J.E.” was the dear brother of Joan Cirone of San Luis Obispo, CA and the late Marjorie Slaiman, Daniel Jr., James, Brendan, Lawrence, Robert, Therese Stevenson, Patricia Odell, and Kathleen Gerard; brother-in-law to Ann Ahern, Kay Devlin, Patricia Lawler, John Stevenson, George Odell, and Jim Gerard; and the late Therese Devlin, Jim Ahern, Don Slaiman, Marie, Vince Cirone, Helene, Peggy, and Beverly Lawler; and uncle to 42 nieces and nephews.
John lived a life of service to his civic and church communities. He was a past President of the Yonkers Lawyers Association and Chaired its annual Red Mass (marking the beginning of each Supreme Court term) for many years. For thirty years, John was the Second Ward District Leader for the Yonkers Republican City Committee and also Chaired its judicial screening committee. He was a 2016 Aide to the Grand Marshal of the 61st Yonkers St. Patrick’s Day Parade. John had a profound devotion to the Holy Eucharist, attending Mass daily. He prayed the Rosary and March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph, was especially dear to him. An active parishioner of St. John the Baptist (Yonkers), he served as President of its Holy Name Society, President of its Home School Association, CCD teacher, Lector, and Cubmaster of Pack 46. John was a recipient of the SJB Hall of Fame Award for exceptional parish service. Beginning at age 8, John maintained a very close relationship with the Carmelite Sisters of the Bronx as an altar server at their weekly Sunday Masses and this service continued for the rest of his life. When they moved to Beacon, NY, he continued as their altar server, celebrating major Church holidays and feast days with them; he considered them his sisters in faith.
Eternally young at heart, John was well known for his wit, mischievous sense of humor, and impish grin. He loved kids and was an avid gardener and swimmer. Being a grandfather brought him immense happiness and he enjoyed playing with his grandchildren as much as they did. Over the last 20+ years, John was known by many for his daily walks up and down St. John’s Avenue. Music was a constant pleasure and “Ave Maria” was his favorite by far. He liked cooking – a pepper mill and Carlo Rossi red wine were mainstays. God blessed him with great health and he was active to his last moment when he passed suddenly. John will be remembered as a man of great faith who deeply loved his family.
Arrangements entrusted to Flower Funeral Home 714 Yonkers Avenue, Yonkers with visitation Wednesday 4-7:00pm and Thursday 4-9:00pm. Funeral Mass Friday, 10:30am at St. John the Baptist Church. Interment Gate of Heaven, Hawthorne, New York.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Carmel of the Incarnation, 89 Hiddenbrooke Drive, Beacon, NY 12508. Please share your memories of John at FlowerFH.com.