After Joey Lawson, 47, a longtime resident of Plant City, died Nov. 16 from an unexpected heart attack, the community pulled together to honor his memory and help support his surviving family. Keel and Curley Winery held a fundraiser for Lawson’s family Sunday, Feb. 8.
“Joey was one of the nicest guys. You could call him any day of the week — he’d drop what he was doing and help you with anything you needed,” Ryan Keel, vice president of operations for Keel and Curley Winery, said.
Lawson was the owner of Lawson Hardware for 20 years. He was skilled at working on cars, boats and carpentry projects, and loved fishing and blueberry farming.
Lawson’s brother, Johnny Lawson, and mother, Carolyn Lawson, worked with him at Lawson Hardware and are continuing to operate the store.
“We worked together and we played together,” Johnny said. “He was a good partner. He was a good brother and a good father.”
Lawson was well known in the Cork area as a friendly guy. The Keels first met the Lawsons when they moved to the Cork area in the 1980s and started the plant nursery where their blueberry farm is now. Keel remembers certain nights during berry season, when farmers in the area had to stay up late and prepare their crops for a freeze. Lawson Hardware would keep its lights on all night, providing a place for the farmers to warm up and sip cups of hot coffee.
Because of the close relationship that the two families have had throughout the decades, the Keels organized the fundraiser.
“It was the least we could do for the family, really,” Keel said.
There was a silent auction, and the winery and Smokin’ Aces BBQ donated 50% of its profits that night. Blues Hall of Fame member Skip Frye, donated his time to provide music.
More than 100 people attended. The event raised about $9,200 for the Lawsons to use for meals, funeral costs and other unexpected general expenses since Joey’s death.
“Everything went well,” Johnny said. “The community just coming together — they did a real good job for my brother’s family.”
Contact Catherine Sinclair at csinclair@plantcityobserver.com.