Sgt. Joel Brandon Lawton

Sgt. Joel Brandon Lawton-USMC-Res., age 30 passed away suddenly October 17, 2016.

A son of Ashley Lawton and Justine Lawton, he was born January 15, 1986 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  He served in Afghanistan combat support activities and served two tours as a Human Terrain Analyst in Afghanistan in remote intelligence gathering.  He was serving as an intelligence analyst at the G2 level in the Army TRADOC (Training and Doctrine Command) and was instrumental in developing the Mad Scientist Initiative at the time of his death. He always led by example. He was a graduate of Piedmont College.  To see Joel at work visit HTTPS.//youtu.belq-Kmtm9smPs

He is survived by his wife, Ashlee Kay Lawton; father, Ashley “Hap” Lawton; mother, Justine “Tina” Lawton; brother, Chad J. Lawton; grandfather, Albert “Al” Lawton; maternal grandmother, Virginia Lawton; stepmother, Patricia Lawton; numerous uncles and cousins and countless friends. 

Funeral services will be Saturday, October 22, 2016, 2 O’clock PM in the Hillcrest Chapel of the Acree-Davis Funeral Home with The Reverend Jerrell Beatty officiating.  The following gentlemen will serve as pallbearers, Kyle Riggs and Jonathon Merck.

The family will receive friends at the Acree-Davis Funeral Home on Saturday from noon until the service hour.  Online condolences can be made at www.acree-davisfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, Gift Processing Administrator, 18251 Quantico Gateway Drive, Triangle, Virginia 22172 in memory of Sgt. Joel Brandon Lawton.

Interment will follow in Stephens Memorial Gardens with Military Honors. The Acree-Davis Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements for Sgt. Joel Brandon Lawton.