HOUSTON — Reverend William A. Lawson, the founding pastor of Houston’s Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, has died at the age of 95.
A statement was released by the church on Tuesday, May 14.
“He has completed his time of service here on earth and is now enjoying eternal rest,” the statement read.
Rev. Lawson, who was also a civil rights leader, had several roles throughout his lifetime, including husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, preacher and professor. Rev. “Bill” Lawson was also affectionately known as “Houston’s Pastor.”
Rev. Lawson retired in 2004. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Kansas City.
According to Wheeler Avenue’s website, Lawson came to Houston after graduating from seminary to serve as director of the Baptist Student Union and Professor of Bible at Texas Southern University. He served in that position for 10 years, also becoming the director of Upward Bound, a pre-college program for high school students on TSU’s campus.
During his time at TSU, a number of neighborhood residents persuaded the Lawsons to establish a church near the university. Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church was established in their home in June 1962.
Lawson was a fierce pillar of the civil rights movement who helped desegregate the city of Houston. He joined the national movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by setting up a local office of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Dr. King remained a close friend of Lawson’s until his death.
Lawson and his late wife, Audrey Hoffman Lawson, had four children. He is survived by three daughters — longtime ABC 13 anchor Melanie Lawson, Cheryl and Roxanne — his granddaughters, Robyn and Raven, and his two great-grandsons, Amadeus and Ronin.
Rev. Lawson’s body will lie in state from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. The Community Service of Celebration will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 23, and the Congregational Service of Celebration will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 24. Both services will be held at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, located at 3826 Wheeler Avenue, Houston, Texas 77004.
