Edgar Herbert Lawton Jr. ’51

Ed came to us from Hartsville, a small town in South Carolina where his family owned a successful vegetable oil processing company. He roomed with three Woodberry Forest School classmates, George Darden, Dail Longaker, and Zach Toms, who joined Cottage Club together. Ed was an economics major and a member of the Republican Club.

After graduating from Harvard Business School in 1953, he went on to Navy OCS and served for three years on various amphibs in the western Pacific. Returning to Hartsville, he became president and treasurer of Hartsville Oil Mill, serving until his retirement.

Throughout his life, Ed served as a board member or officer of several organizations, including Sonoco Products, NationsBank Carolinas, Coker University (where he was chairman of the foundation board for 59 years), president of the National Cottonseed Products Association, a founding director of the Byerly Foundation, and board chairman and life trustee of Oldfields School.

A skilled pilot, he was able to travel widely to pursue a great variety of interests such as classic cars and to spend time at his vacation home in Blowing Rock, N.C.

Ed died May 4, 2023, in Hartsville. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nan; and four children.