LAKELAND, Fla. — George Dana Lawrence Jr., 88, of Lakeland passed away on June 12, 2010.

He was born in Peterborough, the eldest son of George and Alice (Chamberlain) Lawrence. He graduated from Peterborough High School in 1940 and was in the Navy from 1942 to 1945, serving in the Pacific theater aboard the USS Guardfish with the rank of MoMM 1.

George married Ruth (Hannula) Lawrence in March 1947 and moved to Greenfield, where they lived until his retirement in 1986.

After the war, George became employed by Arthur F. Bergeron as chief auto mechanic. When Perry Motors purchased the company, he became the head of the mechanic area and then service manager of the parts department. He retired to Florida in 1986 and moved to St. James City, Fla., where he and Ruth lived for 23 years.

He and his wife moved to Lakeland in January 2010 to be closer to their eldest daughter, Sandra.

His wife predeceased him on April 24, 2010. His brother, Howard, also predeceased him.

George is survived by his brothers, Thomas of Townsend, Mass., and Wallace (Pete) Lawrence of North Ft. Myers, Fla.; his sister Grace Hillman of Conover, N.C.; and his three children, Sandra (George) Zanga, of Lakeland, Fla., Linda (Henry) Burke of Cape Coral, Fla., and son George Dana (Deborah) III, of Anthony, Fla. He is also survived by his grandchildren, John Zanga of Peterborough, Annette (Zanga) Arnold of Huntsville, Ala.; Benjamin Ojala of Wilmington, N.C.; Eric Ojala of Forest City, N.C.; Matthew Burke of Lancaster, Mass., and Cory Lawrence of Bennington. He also leaves 12 great grandchildren.

Services will be held at Coral Ridge Cemetery on July 3 at 11 a.m.