John Dickinson Laws, Jr. passed away September 7, 2014, at his home in Columbus. He was the son of the late John D. and Loudelle Harper Laws. He leaves his wife, Verda, with whom he fell in love when he was in the eleventh grade and she in the tenth at Lee High School. He also leaves his daughters, Beth Laws Ferguson (Vee) and Brenda Laws Comer (Bubba) and grandchildren, Harper Ferguson and John Laws Ferguson. He also left a brother, Poogie Laws, and a number of cousins. John was a family man and has been the point man for regular Laws family reunions. Visitation will be at the Main Street Presbyterian Church from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 9, and his funeral service will also be there Wednesday, September 10, at 11:00 AM. John was a life-long Columbian and was born December 3, 1930. He attended Demonstration School and Lee High School and graduated from Ole Miss in 1956 with a pharmacy degree. At Lee High he excelled in football but his love was most any outdoor activity such as hunting, fishing, riding unicycles, riding motor scooters and motorcycles, raising beagles, having a zoo, and riding horses. He lived every day. Boating, skiing, and any activity on the Tombigbee River began at an early age would forever define his life. For example in 1962 he was one of three organizers of the Tombigbee Stump Jumpers. This exceptional ski club taught hundreds of youth how to initially ski and others to develop into champions. They performed at Bellingraph Gardens and elsewhere. John mentored hundreds of youth in every type of outdoor activities. To this day many say John was like a father to them and that he made the world a better place. For many years he welcomed those kids and the Stump Jumpers and many others to Laws Shoals, a place on the Tombigbee enjoyed by the family as far back as at least the 1920's.John's college years were interrupted by four years of service in the United States Air Force and included a stint in the Philippines during the Korean War. He practiced as a pharmacist for years at the family's Laws Drug Store and later for twenty eight years as the head pharmacist at Columbus AFB for which he received awards of distinction. In 2007 he was the fifth person to be honored as a Wingman for "exceptional contributions to Columbus AFB".He was a life-long member of the Main Street Presbyterian Church and beginning in 1959 served as a Deacon and then Deacon Emeritus. John served as president of many groups including the Lowndes County Ole Miss Alumni Club, Lowndes County Conservation League, the Big Bud Hunting Club and the district pharmaceutical association. He was a director of numerous groups including Pushmataha Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, The Mississippi Wildlife Association, and the Triangle Credit Association (formerly Columbus AFB Credit Union) of which he was a director for 44 years. He was from the git-go a board member of Happy Irby's Santa Claus endeavor. Active pallbearers are Andrew Laws, Bill Laws, Jack Laws, John Laws, Rich Laws and Stephen Laws. Honorary pallbearers are Bebe Adams, Mark Alexander, Dr. Dan Bennett, Big Bud Hunting Club, John Brock, Dr. Brad Brown, Dr. Brett Brown, Darlene Carr,Teresa Carr, Ben Chilcutt, Tommy Dismuke, Howard Fisackerly, Lizzie Hines, Gene Imes, Stephen Imes, George Irby, Bob Keys, Bobby Miller, Kenneth Nichols, Officers of Main Street Presbyterian Church, Jimmy Pannell, Emma Petty, Dr. Jack Reed, Clayton Richardson, William Roberts, Shannon Sherrod, Billy Swedenburg, Tombigbee Stump Jumpers Water Ski Club, Bob Waldrop, Lavarcous "Punchy" Williams, Sharon Williams and Dr. James Woodard In lieu of flowers it is suggested that memorials be made to the Main Street Presbyterian Church Youth Fund P.O. Box 26 Columbus MS 39703 Columbus- Lowndes Humane Society P.O. Box 85 Columbus MS 39703 Alzheimer's Association : MS Chapter 196 Charmant Place, Ste 4 Ridgeland MS 39157 Or Donor's Choice.
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