WALTER LAWTON DIES AT 88
by Joseph Chuman, Leader, Bergen (NJ) Ethical Society
The Ethical Culture Movement, and the Bergen Society are greatly diminished by the death of Walter Lawton on November 20th. Walter was a devoted member of the Bergen Society, and a professional Ethical Culture leader for more than 40 years.
Walter was born in Georgia and throughout his life retained his distinctive accent, as well as the manner of a southern gentleman. Forever open to new ideas and experiences, during his long and extraordinarily productive life Walter traversed an ever-widening intellectual and religious course. In his early years, he served in the Baptist ministry, but moved on to become a liberal religionist, first serving in the Unitarian movement. As a Unitarian minister, Walter founded a UU church in Hollis, Queens. Shortly thereafter, Walter moved to Ethical Culture and entered professional leadership. His work with Ethical Culture roamed broadly. At various times he served as the leader of the Chicago, Northern Westchester, Queens and Westchester Societies, in each venue earning the admiration and respect of many members and friends for his dedication and commitment to ethical ideals as well as to those whom he served. Walter also served as director of Camp Madison Felicia, brought his skills as an outdoors man to the directorship of the Weis Ecology Center, and for a brief while was the AEU’s leader-at-large.
With the exception of Algernon Black there perhaps has been no Ethical leader more committed to grass-roots activism than Walter Lawton. Though he was involved in the environmentalist movement and was committed to urban education, and well as programs to alleviate poverty, no passion consumed Walter’s energies more than the cause of racial integration especially during the spirited days of the Civil Rights Movement. Walter was deeply invested in the Civil Rights Movement through work with the AEU’s Southern Project on Race in Alabama and other endeavors. His grass roots work in the South, often in the face of racial tension and violence, involved considerable courage, and Walter at times put himself at serious personal risk. Though he never marched to Selma with Martin Luther King, he did march with King and get to know him personally through protests in the streets of Cicero, Illinois.
Despite his noteworthy accomplishments, Walter was a preeminently self-effacing man. Walter had an enduring, though quiet, strength that came from the confidence of his inner convictions. In the spirit of humanism he was also extraordinarily kind. Despite investing himself in the occasionally fractious politics of the Ethical movement and other disputatious environments, I cannot recall Walter ever assaulting the personality or defaming the integrity of those with whom he disagreed. Malice simply was not in him. His social interest was in elevating others, and his conversations often focused not on himself, but on the activities and interests of the other people whom he engaged.
Walter was also gifted with a buoyant and optimistic temperament. In the 35 years that I have known him, I seldom recall Walter complaining. Nor was there any self-pity, though Walter experienced more than his share of adversity in life.
Walter Lawton retained a curious mind till the last day of his life. He was an avid reader, always to new idea and pathways in life. When he was past 70, Walter embarked on a career as a psychotherapist, completing the required training, which many younger people would have found daunting.
Walter leaves his beloved wife Edith, his children Rick, Elizabeth, Bill and his adored grandchildren, Allison, Jessica and Jacob. All those who were fortunate to have known Walter and to have been touched by his life will miss his graciousness, his sincerity, and his modest but unwavering commitment to the ideals to which he was so dedicated. His life will continue to inspire.
Walter died of a heart attack at Englewood Hospital. A cremation is planned and a memorial will be announced at a later date. Walter Lawton was 88 years old.
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