Lawrence Edward Zier

May 11, 1941 – June 30, 2026

Lawrence Edward Zier, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully on June 30, 2026, at the age of 85.

Lawrence was born on May 11, 1941, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in Linden, where he graduated from Linden High School. An outstanding athlete, Lawrence played both baseball and basketball, but basketball was his true passion. He was a standout player and carried his love of sports throughout his entire life.

After high school, Lawrence attended Kent State University in Ohio, where he earned his degree in accounting. He later built a successful career with Dow Chemical in New Jersey, ultimately serving as Vice President of Finance.

Lawrence also proudly served for six years in the New Jersey Army National Guard. His intelligence and remarkable ability to remember and understand how things worked were evident throughout his life. During his Guard training, soldiers were required to take apart and reassemble a rifle. Lawrence completed the task so quickly that his instructors thought he had somehow cheated. They pulled him aside and had him do it again by himself—and once again, he completed it just as quickly. That story became one of many examples of the incredible mind Lawrence possessed.

Faith was at the center of Lawrence’s life. He met his beloved wife, Ruth, at church when they were young, and their shared faith became an important part of their marriage and family. Church was a huge part of their children’s upbringing. Lawrence and Ruth taught a New Believers class together, and Lawrence served as church treasurer for 25 years. His faith was not simply something he believed; it was something he lived and shared with others.

Lawrence and Ruth shared 60 years of marriage and built a family filled with love, faith, and countless memories. After moving to Florida in 1991, Lawrence embraced the Florida lifestyle. He enjoyed golfing, bowling, and fishing, but one of his greatest passions was sports. He watched practically every sport he could find on television—including college games—and seemed to know everything about every team and player. If there was a game on, Lawrence was watching it, and if you had a question about sports, chances were he already knew the answer.

Lawrence had an extraordinary mind and could fix almost anything. He had what his family often described as an engineering mind and an incredible memory. Whether it was figuring out how something worked, repairing something that was broken, or remembering a detail from years earlier, he had a remarkable ability to understand and retain information.

But perhaps his greatest joy was being a Pop Pop. He was an amazing grandfather who loved playing with his grandchildren and making memories with them. His idea of fun sometimes came with a little more danger than most grandparents would probably allow—like playing hide-and-seek in the dark or putting the grandchildren on top of the refrigerator. Those adventures were part of what made Pop Pop so much fun, and they are memories his grandchildren will carry with them forever.

Lawrence was a man of strength, intelligence, faith, determination, and an unmistakable personality. He loved his family deeply, took great pride in the people they became, and never stopped being curious about the world around him. His family will remember not only the things he accomplished, but the stories, laughter, lessons, and countless moments that made him uniquely their Dad and Pop Pop.

Lawrence is survived by his son, Larry Jr., and his wife, Joyce; his daughter, Sheri, and her partner, Lud; and his daughter, Tami, and her husband, Cj. He was preceded in death by his beloved son, Jay. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Zachary, Lucas, Tianna, Michael, Anna, and Giovanni; his sister, Carol, and her husband, Dave; his former son-in-law, Mike, who remained very close to Lawrence and was a cherished part of the family; extended family; and many friends who loved him dearly. He was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry.

Although he will be deeply missed, his family finds comfort knowing that he is now reunited with his beloved Ruth, his son, Jay, and his brother, Jerry.

A service celebrating Lawrence’s life will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Evangel Church in Scotch Plains, New Jersey.

Family and friends are invited to come together to remember Lawrence, celebrate his life, and share the memories that will keep him close in their hearts.