Lawrence Paul Chatman, 76, of Evening Shade, passed away Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, at his residence surrounded by family.
He was born June 26, 1946, to Rev. Roscoe and Maude Edith Smith Chatman at the Lucy Lee Hospital in Poplar Bluff.
He was united in marriage to Jeanne Harris Chatman, in June 1968.
Lawrence was licensed to preach in 1961 at age 15, and pastored the Bethany Baptist Church for a year until they were able to get an adult pastor. He graduated from Neelyville High School in 1964 and went to Southern Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark. where he graduated in 1966 with an AA degree. He graduated in 1968 from Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar. He also went back to college in 1975-76 to earn a life time teaching certificate in English and Social Studies. He graduated from Southwest Baptist College again with a BS degree this time. Over the years he taught school at Salem High School, Dawson Christian School near Mt. Grove, Joel E. Barber School near Lebanon, and Plato School. He was also a bus driver for Plato School 20 years.
Lawrence attended Midwestern Baptist Seminary in Kansas City during 1970 and 71. He also pastored the Sheldon Baptist Church. In June of 1971 he was called to be Associate pastor of First Baptist Church of Houston, with duties at their mission church in Success. The mission became a church and he pastored there for 13 years. Other churches he pastored during his 60 year ministry were: Bucyrus Baptist Church, Crossville Baptist Church near Bunker, Broadway Baptist Church near St, James, Raymondville Baptist Church, and Gasconade Baptist Church near Dixon. Pastor Lawrence was at Gasconade for 16 years before he retired in 2021 after having Covid and a stroke. They gave him retirement dinner and presented him with a plaque for his 60 years of ministry.
He is preceded in death by brothers, Harmon, William, Hershel; sisters Thelma, Velma, Alma, and Genevia; and foster daughter Shirley Troxel Chaney.
He is survived by wife of 54 years Jeanne Harris Chatman; children, Serena Hagler and husband Bobby, Sarah Sutton and husband Joshua, Lawrence Chatman and wife Megan; foster daughter, Deborah Troxel McEntire; 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild; brothers, CL Chester Leroy, TC Thurman Clyde and Truman Chatman; and sisters, Pansy Parks and Anna Hedrick.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, Jan. 17, in the Roby Baptist Church, Roby, with Pastor Joshua Sutton, officiating. Interment will be in C.T Smith Cemetery, Success.
Arrangements entrusted to Birmingham-Martin Funeral Home, Dixon.
