Friends Remember Bill Lawler

Friends remembered a former Sam Houston State University business professor who passed away Tuesday in Conroe as a well-liked colleague and a popular instructor.

Bill Lawler was a professor of accounting, economics and business economics at North Harris County College at Tomball at the time of his death.

"He was just one of those guys you enjoyed to be around. We hated to see him leave, at Sam, but he felt that there would be more opportunity for him in Tomball," said Ross Lovell, a retired SHSU professor and a former chair of the university's Management and Marketing Department.

Lawler taught several introductory business classes while he was at SHSU, and used his playful personality to keep students interested, Lovell said.

"He taught a lot of the basic business courses which tend to be sort of dry and he would liven it up a little and he interfaced with students very easily," Lovell said.

As a colleague, Lawler was a valuable asset to the department, he said.

"He was a very versatile guy," Lovell said. "You could almost fit him in any course and he'd do a good job."

Lawler was already teaching in the management and marketing department when Lovell and another one of Lawler's friends, Nelson Thornton, SHSU business professor, came to the university. Thornton began teaching at SHSU in 1970.

Lawler consistently filled his auditorium classes with students from across the university, not just students majoring in business, Thornton said.

His interest in student organizations and athletics drew students to him and his classes, Thornton added.

"He probably did a lot more work than many people realize, in that when he wasn't teaching, he was working with all the sororities and fraternities on campus and the athletics department with some of the students," Thornton said.

Lawler received his bachelor's and master's degrees in business from SHSU and retained an active interest in the school, Lovell said.

"He still came up here and watched all the basketball games," Lovell said, adding he may have regularly attended other sports as well.

In his spare time, Lawler was an avid fisherman.

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SHSU Media Contact: Frank Krystyniak
April 11, 2002
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