Ralph (Pete) Lawson III
What do you remember about Ralph? Share your stories and photos here, and invite others to come share their memories.
Ralph (Pete) Lawson III, 81, died on July 18, 2021 after a short final struggle with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia - CLL. Born Ralph Lawson III in Boston on July 25, 1939, Pete was the oldest of three children of the late Ralph and Margaret Lawson of Bristol, Providence, RI and Duxbury, MA. He attended Moses Brown, Nobles and Greenough and graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a degree in Engineering after serving three years in the US Army.
Pete spent his whole life on the sea. Sailing in Duxbury, MA as a child and working with the Grenfell Mission in Labrador as a teenager. He was committed to the sport of sailing as a competitor, organizer, technical developer, International Judge and sponsor of emerging RI sailors. He designed and implemented the first on board computers beginning with the '77 America's Cup working with Ted Hood and Ted Turner. He had leadership roles in the Narragansett Bay Yachting Association, United States Yacht Racing Union, RIISA and the Newport County Radio Club - a rediscovered and much enjoyed hobby with call sign W1LAB. He was a member of the New York Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club.
As an industrial engineer, he helped develop the continuous bobbin for industrial knitting machines, streamline factory production, consolidate corporate information, and put personal computers in the hands of management. His management consulting helped companies assess the value of computing products, position them for future development and empower them to have personal access to corporate information.
Pete is survived by his wife, Marshall, his daughter Sara Lawson Viener her husband Adam and their three children Addison, Riley and Jolie.
A celebration of Pete's life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Haisley Funeral Home, Fort Pierce. An online guest book may be signed at www.haisleyfuneralhome.com