David John Lawlor, 82, of East Troy, was born in Burlington, on April 15, 1944 and passed away on June 12, 2026 of heart failure while enroute to Aurora Medical Center in Burlington.
David was the first Lawlor grandchild and the oldest of four children born to Joseph James and Marie Cornelia (Vander Kuyl) Lawlor. He lived in East Troy his entire life. He graduated from East Troy High School in 1962 and attended UW-Whitewater for two years, majoring in accounting.
David married Jeanne Marie Leonard on April 4, 1970 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in East Troy. They were married for almost 56 years when Jeanne passed away on Feb. 24, 2026. Life without “Ma” was hard. They always went everywhere together and he said, “She was never far away from me.” He tried his best to keep going while his health steadily declined.
David is survived by his two sons, Robert Lawlor and Bradley Lawlor, both of East Troy, and his sister, Karen Lawlor of Hartland.
In addition to his wife, Jeanne, David was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Timothy and Robert. The worst day of his life was the day Tim died. The second worst day was the day he lost “Ma.”
David was a plumber for almost 40 years. In 1968, O’Leary Plumbing took him on as their first apprentice. He also worked for Mitchell Plumbing of East Troy. In later years, he worked on major projects including the Power Plant in Pleasant Prairie, Miller Park, the Bradley Center and the Primate House at the Milwaukee County Zoo. He was a member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union and served as Business Agent for Plumbers Union Local 75. David always worked hard and did what he needed to do to take care of Jeanne and the boys. When Bob and Brad were young, David spent several months away from them working on a power plant in North Dakota. They still remember the day “Dad” left for that job.
David loved to play football. While in high school, he spent one summer on a Howe silo crew to “muscle up” for football in the fall. As a sophomore, he played “center” when East Troy went undefeated and won the 1959 Southern Lakes Conference championship. In his senior year, he played the last three games of the season with a broken leg. At UW-Whitewater, he played for the Warhawks until he was sidelined by a knee injury.
David’s connection with cars started in high school when his dad bought a 1955 Chevrolet, two door sedan 150, affectionately known as “Phyllis.” He raced Phyllis at the Lake Geneva and Union Grove drag strips under the name, “The Liquid Plumber.” He told Jeanne, “No matter what, the car stays.” He quit racing in 1970. The car stayed!!
David looked forward to swap meets and car shows to buy and sell car parts and/or cars and to talk with many friends he made over the years. He purchased a scooter because he planned to attend the June 13, 2026, “Tin Butchers’ Scrap Drive #20,” a Hot Rod Show and Swap meet in Belvidere, Illinois. Bob and Brad went for him.
David loved working on old cars and was proud of the cars he restored. He worked on each car from start to finish. He did most of the work himself with some help from friends and family. He taught himself to weld so he could do the body work. Everything was done according to the book from factory parts to paint colors. Besides “Phyllis,” his other prize projects include a 1967 Camaro, two 1968 Camaros and a 1970 Nova. He often took a car or two to Cruise Nights at Gus’s and attended local car shows in East Troy, Elkhorn, Waterford and Burlington and has trophies to prove it!
David had a small business of cutting, punching and selling cardboard interior door panels to people who were restoring old cars. He acquired or made patterns for specific car models. He designed and made a tool to accurately crease panels. He had a theory about tools. If you can’t buy one or make one, the job is not going to get done.
David served in the Wisconsin National Guard for six years. He was always in the driver’s seat when convoying. He was also the driver for command personnel during the 1967 riots in Milwaukee and the 1967 youth uprising in Lake Geneva. He earned time off for being the best shot in his unit.
While Bob and Brad were in 4-H, David volunteered to be the woodworking leader. He was told to expect a small group. Instead, he ended up with a basement full of kids. He spent hours buying and preparing project materials and was amazed when the kids finished their projects in minutes. In addition, he was an umpire for LaFayette 4-H baseball.
David liked having a dog around. He and Jeanne had three “grand dogs” over the years, Tara, Barney and Klutch. Barney was the special dog of a lifetime and David often mentioned how much he missed him. David and Klutch were both still adjusting to their life without Jeanne.
David greeted everyone with a smile, a little laugh and a handshake. He kept in touch with his high school classmates, developed long term friendships with other car lovers, and enjoyed getting together with his retired coworkers. David’s family and friends, and Klutch are going to miss him.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at the Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home, 930 Main St., Mukwonago, from 11 a.m. until the time of the service at 1 p.m. Weather permitting, you are welcome to bring your old cars and hot rods.
Please consider a donation to HAWS, the East Troy Food Pantry or a charity of your choice in lieu of flowers.
For online condolences, please visit www.schmidtandbartelt.com.