1938
Arendol
2022
Arendol David Rawls, Sr
September 5, 1938 — May 27, 2022
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BE MADE TO VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS and/or HAND IN HAND IN AFRICA VIA FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GRAPEVINE at
https://pushpay.com/g/fbcgrapevine
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church, 301 E. Texas Street, Grapevine, Texas 76051 with a reception held after in the fellowship center. Livestream of the service will be offered at https://youtube.com/channel/UCKMWor59bh6iXgrI4bfgCAQ
Mr. A. David “Dave” Rawls, 83, of Keller, Texas, passed away on May 27, 2022 at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Grapevine.
Dave was born in Amarillo, Texas to Samuel David and Ella May (Mengers) Rawls on September 5, 1938.
As a small boy, the Rawls family moved to Tampa, Florida, where Dave grew up riding bicycles and getting into all the kinds of trouble a little boy could dream up. He graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1956 and three years later married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Shirley Anne McMillan on May 9, 1959.
Dave attended college before marriage but took a hiatus working as a surveyor to provide for his growing family, a son, Arendol (Randy) David Rawls, Jr., born December 6, 1960, and their first daughter, Sandra (Sandi) DeAnn Rawls McLean, born June 20, 1963.
Dave resumed his college career, studying industrial engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where they welcomed their second daughter, Kandace (Kandi) Susan Rawls Phelps, born April 12, 1966.
Upon graduation in 1966, Dave was employed with E. I. du Pont de Nemours in Waynesboro, Virginia, and took a transfer with DuPont to Seaford, Delaware. Given an opportunity to change divisions, Dave travelled weekly to Wilmington, Delaware, after which the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas before finally arriving at his long desired and final destination, Dallas, Texas. Taking early retirement at age 52, he began a second career with Fujifilm North America, retiring a second time at age 62.
Dave was a devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, serving as a gifted teacher and mentor, deacon and choir member (tenor) all his life. He and wife, Shirley, were lifelong givers, supporting numerous church building programs, Christian ministries, and missionaries. He and Shirley went on church building trips with Volunteer Christian Builders, where he immersed himself in a lifelong love of woodworking. His garage workship was his haven, where he made many beautiful pieces of furniture and fine woodworking pieces, most of which he lovingly gave to friends and family members.
Dave enjoyed two special ministry trips to South Africa and came home with stories and photos of the beautiful people, scenery and animals he witnessed there. He was an avid photographer, with thousands of pictures taken over his life, as well as a gifted writer and poet. He had the heart of an artist.
Dave and Shirley loved to travel, taking extended road trips that enabled them to visit friends and see 49 states, completing all 50 with a long awaited trip to Hawaii in 2017.
Dave is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirley, his children David (Cathy) Rawls of Hurst, Texas, Kandace (David) Phelps of Heath, Texas, Stephen Kilpatrick of Atlanta, Georgia, Holly “Thorne” Groves of Brady, Texas, “adopted” daughter, Regiane Peterson, her five beautiful children, Luan, Ana, Emilie, Hannah, and Thomas, for whom they attended grandparent days, and a large and loving extended family.
He was preceded in death by daughter, Sandra McLean of Bryan, Texas, brother, James Rawls of Atlanta, Georgia, sisters in law, Beverly Glasgow and Brenda Howell, Tampa, Florida, and his parents, Sam and May Rawls, Tampa, Florida.
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church, 301 E. Texas Street, Grapevine, Texas 76051 with a reception held after in the fellowship center.
To leave condolences for Dave’s family, please visit www.lucasfuneralhomes.com .
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BE MADE TO VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS and/or HAND IN HAND IN AFRICA VIA FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GRAPEVINE at https://pushpay.com/g/fbcgrapevine
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church, 301 E. Texas Street, Grapevine, Texas 76051 with a reception held after in the fellowship center. Livestream of the service will be offered at https://youtube.com/channel/UCKMWor59bh6iXgrI4bfgCAQ
Mr. A. David “Dave” Rawls, 83, of Keller, Texas, passed away on May 27, 2022 at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Grapevine.
Dave was born in Amarillo, Texas to Samuel David and Ella May (Mengers) Rawls on September 5, 1938.
As a small boy, the Rawls family moved to Tampa, Florida, where Dave grew up riding bicycles and getting into all the kinds of trouble a little boy could dream up. He graduated from Hillsborough High School in 1956 and three years later married his high school sweetheart and the love of his life, Shirley Anne McMillan on May 9, 1959.
Dave attended college before marriage but took a hiatus working as a surveyor to provide for his growing family, a son, Arendol (Randy) David Rawls, Jr., born December 6, 1960, and their first daughter, Sandra (Sandi) DeAnn Rawls McLean, born June 20, 1963.
Dave resumed his college career, studying industrial engineering at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where they welcomed their second daughter, Kandace (Kandi) Susan Rawls Phelps, born April 12, 1966.
Upon graduation in 1966, Dave was employed with E. I. du Pont de Nemours in Waynesboro, Virginia, and took a transfer with DuPont to Seaford, Delaware. Given an opportunity to change divisions, Dave travelled weekly to Wilmington, Delaware, after which the family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and Houston, Texas before finally arriving at his long desired and final destination, Dallas, Texas. Taking early retirement at age 52, he began a second career with Fujifilm North America, retiring a second time at age 62.
Dave was a devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, serving as a gifted teacher and mentor, deacon and choir member (tenor) all his life. He and wife, Shirley, were lifelong givers, supporting numerous church building programs, Christian ministries, and missionaries. He and Shirley went on church building trips with Volunteer Christian Builders, where he immersed himself in a lifelong love of woodworking. His garage workship was his haven, where he made many beautiful pieces of furniture and fine woodworking pieces, most of which he lovingly gave to friends and family members.
Dave enjoyed two special ministry trips to South Africa and came home with stories and photos of the beautiful people, scenery and animals he witnessed there. He was an avid photographer, with thousands of pictures taken over his life, as well as a gifted writer and poet. He had the heart of an artist.
Dave and Shirley loved to travel, taking extended road trips that enabled them to visit friends and see 49 states, completing all 50 with a long awaited trip to Hawaii in 2017.
Dave is survived by his wife of 63 years, Shirley, his children David (Cathy) Rawls of Hurst, Texas, Kandace (David) Phelps of Heath, Texas, Stephen Kilpatrick of Atlanta, Georgia, Holly “Thorne” Groves of Brady, Texas, “adopted” daughter, Regiane Peterson, her five beautiful children, Luan, Ana, Emilie, Hannah, and Thomas, for whom they attended grandparent days, and a large and loving extended family.
He was preceded in death by daughter, Sandra McLean of Bryan, Texas, brother, James Rawls of Atlanta, Georgia, sisters in law, Beverly Glasgow and Brenda Howell, Tampa, Florida, and his parents, Sam and May Rawls, Tampa, Florida.
A Celebration of Life will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022, 2:00 p.m., at First Baptist Church, 301 E. Texas Street, Grapevine, Texas 76051 with a reception held after in the fellowship center.
To leave condolences for Dave’s family, please visit www.lucasfuneralhomes.com .
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS BE MADE TO VOLUNTEER CHRISTIAN BUILDERS and/or HAND IN HAND IN AFRICA VIA FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH GRAPEVINE at https://pushpay.com/g/fbcgrapevine
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Arendol David Rawls, Sr, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Celebration of Life
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Starts at 2:00 pm (Eastern time)
First Baptist Church Grapevine
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