Shelby Dean Lawson, 71

Published 11:35 am Monday, February 3, 2025

Shelby Dean Lawson, 71, of Fort Wayne, IN, passed away on Jan. 31, 2025 at Parkview Medical Center in Fort Wayne. He was born in Beverly, KY to the late Millard Lawson and Phronia (Brock) Saylor on July 8, 1953.

Shelby had worked as an inspector at Dana Corporation in Fort Wayne from 1972 through 2001 when he retired. Shelby loved his family and fishing and art paintings on canvas.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers Benjamin Lawson, Arnold Ray Lawson, Bobby Saylor, Tony Saylor, and his sister Lucille Brock.

He is survived by a special friend, Carol Gilbert. His children Scott (Ann) Lawson, Jake (Janeen) Lawson, both of Arjay, KY, Nicole Williams (Layla), Jessica Roark, Brandon Lawson, Tyler Lawson, Heidi Tonak, and Sara Lawson. His grandchildren Courtney (Dustin) Dixon, Shawn, Ashley, Amber, Hunter, Dalton, Alexus, Kassiedeigh, Brayden, Kyleigh and Cashtian Lawson; Jadyn and Cierra Keller; Tagan Williams, Isaac, Logan, and Kierrah Roark; Alec Miller, Kimberly (Sean) Smullen, Brittany Barth, Troy Topp, Sierra Schuessler, Oksanna Lawson, Phara Christman, Antonio and Alejandro Martinez. Seventeen great-grandchildren. Brothers Lonnie (Sue) Lawson of Wooster, Ohio, and Clyde Wayne (Kim) Saylor of Missouri; sisters Bonnie Young of Mill Creek, KY, Christine Knuckles of McKee, KY, and Susie Saylor of Stoney Fork, KY, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be conducted at Arnett and Steele Funeral Home in Pineville on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., with Rev. Ronnie Hoskins officiating. Burial will follow at a private cemetery in Mill Creek, KY, with Jamie, Shawn, Hunter, Dalton and Brandon Lawson, Johann Brock, Mark Rudolph and Dustin Dixon serving as pallbearers. The family will receive friends on Wednesday at Arnett and Steele Funeral Home from 11:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at 1:00 p.m.

Arnett and Steele Funeral Home and Cremation Center is honored to serve the family of Shelby Dean Lawson.