Lawrie Rudolph Arthur, 88, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 25th, 2026.

Lawrie was born on January 15th, 1938, in Paradise Missouri in the same family farmhouse where his mother was born. He was the youngest of the three children of David Eugene Arthur and Stella Adelia Irminger. Lawrie loved growing up on the farm and being in the country. His family and the farm laid the foundation of his strong work ethic and ability to fix most anything. He attended elementary school in Smithville and graduated from Smithville High School in 1956. He was a four-year letterman in basketball and football, and was a member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA).

After high school he joined the Army Reserves with two of his lifelong friends, David Cockrill and David Clifton. He completed boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood and was assigned to the Military Police (MP). After leaving the Army he returned to the Smithville area and worked at a few jobs including Pence Appliance in Kearney, Ford Tractor in Platte City, and New Idea Farm Equipment in Northtown. In June of 1966 he started work at the Transworld Airlines (TWA) overhaul base in Kansas City. He worked in several departments of the base including Stores, Carpenter Shop, and Plant Maintenance. Working at TWA allowed him to maximize his ability to fix things and he often spoke of the friends that he made while working there. He retired from TWA in February of 2000, after over 33 years, but decided there were still things that needed to be fixed, so he took a retirement job at the Heartland Presbyterian Camp near Parkville. There he continued to put his fix-it skills to use, building bunkbeds and furniture, updating and repairing the camp buildings, maintaining the grounds, and feeding the horses.

Lawrie loved the outdoors and hunting and fishing. He enjoyed many adventures with family and friends going hunting for quail, pheasant, deer, and elk. Family was at the heart of everything Lawrie did. In his younger years, he and Willene loved to travel with friends and family, taking advantage of his career with TWA to travel around the states and to visit Europe several times. As their children grew, family vacations turned into cross-country adventures filled with memories they would cherish for years. When he wasn't fixing something around the house, Lawrie could usually be found cheering on his children. He coached Charles's baseball teams, Lisa's softball teams, volunteered at countless swim meets, and was always willing to lend his talents wherever they were needed. Whether it was building starting blocks for the swim team, repairing something at church, or helping with a community project, he was happiest when he was using his hands to help others.

That generous spirit never faded. As Charles and Lisa built homes and families of their own, Lawrie was always there with his tools, his time, and his quiet determination. He willingly spent countless afternoons and weekends helping friends and family with projects in garages, backyards, and basements. His love of sports found new life with his grandson,

Bodie. There was nothing he enjoyed more than being in the stands, proudly watching Bodie compete, especially on the baseball field. He treasured every opportunity to cheer him on and was grateful to attend many of Bodie's games during his senior year. Those moments, surrounded by family and watching the next generation, brought him tremendous joy.

He was a dedicated member and Elder of the Hillside Christian Church and later became a member of the Platte Woods United Methodist Church where he also put his fix-it skills to use as a member of the Godly Old Men at Work (GOMA) who completed numerous church and community projects.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Willene Marie (Jones); his son, Charles Arthur and wife, Robyn, and grandson Bodie Taylor Lawrie Arthur; nephews Ron Arthur and wife Peggy, Merle Arthur and wife Debbie, Bryan Arthur and wife Brenda; son-in-law Robert “Bob” Zimmerer and his children, Shane and wife Katie and their son Seth, Kersten and husband Robert, and Rory; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.

He was preceded by death by his brother DeWyane Arthur and wife Mildred Arthur, and his sister Betty Jean Arthur. He was also preceded by his daughter and the sunshine of his life Lisa Marie Arthur (Zimmerer).

A visitation will begin at 10 a.m. Monday, August 10th, 2026, at the Platte Woods United Methodist Church, followed by funeral services at 11 a.m. and reception at noon. He will be laid to rest at Terrace Park Cemetery, Kansas City, in a private service. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Heartland Presbyterian Camp (www.heartlandcenter.org/donate), or a charity of your choice.