Barry Alan Lawing

Barry Lawing, beloved son, brother, companion, and Wake Forest fanatic (Go Deacs!), died peacefully on June 17, 2024. Born on April 16, 1957, to William and Avis Lawing in Winston-Salem, he graduated from Reynolds High School and Mars Hill University, with several meaningful summers on the staff at Fort Caswell, before returning to Winston-Salem to pursue his M.A. in History at Wake Forest University. His thesis, The History of Aviation in Winston-Salem, set him on a path to become an exemplary teacher and student of history. 

He began to teach part-time at Forsyth Technical Community College, eventually becoming a full-time American History Instructor at Forsyth Tech for 35 years. It was at Forsyth Tech where he received his greatest rewards, and where he had the greatest influence on more than 10,000 students through his engrossing and vivid stories that made the subject of history come to life. His enjoyment of being involved with his students’ lives extended beyond the classroom. For years he was in charge of various student activities, coaching women’s volleyball and softball, and organizing and directing the annual golf tournament. In so many ways, Barry joyed in seeing his students succeed. In time, Barry reached out beyond Forsyth Tech to share his enthusiasm for history in various senior citizen retirement homes.

His life’s passion away from the classroom was his love of sports, especially basketball, and most especially Wake Forest basketball (Go Deacs!). Barry found a creative way to combine his two loves, teaching and basketball, by creating an adult class on ACC basketball, highlighted by weekly appearances from some of the great players and coaches of the ACC from the ‘60s through the ‘90s. Charitably, he even occasionally included important personalities from lesser basketball schools, such as Duke and UNC. He became the de facto historian on Wake Forest basketball, culminating with his book Demon Deacon Hoops: A History of Wake Forest Basketball in the 20th Century, 1906-2000.

There was so much more to Barry beyond teaching, yelling himself hoarse at referees, and zigzagging for better seats at Wake games. He was a passionate advocate for the underdogs (Go Deacs!) He was a beach lover from his childhood days of annual family trips to the Rip Tide motel in Myrtle Beach, and he built a house at Oak Island on the lot he had purchased as a teenager, not far from his beloved Fort Caswell. His house has been the source of many summers and weekends of wonderful memories. He loved sharing this beach home and good times with family and friends.

Barry had an unquenchable fighting spirit. He loved nothing more than to engage family and friends (and Republicans) in debates about any issue. His own competitive spirit led him to view debates and arguments as exercises to be won and lost. It was that same fighting spirit that served as his weapon in battling the cancer that was first discovered eleven years ago. To the last day of his life, he fought this disease and continued to make plans for many more years of living. His courage in facing his adversities has left an indelible mark on all his friends and family.

We all celebrate Barry’s life and all that he gave us in this life. He will be especially missed by his loving fiancée, Tina Simpson; his sister, Linda Hargrave, and nieces Ashley and Brittany; his brother Bill and nieces Mei, Gloria, and Christina; his 10 great-nieces and great-nephews, his 17 cousins, his precious cat Topaz, and by so many he touched by his passions, his wit, and his wisdom.

Barry’s family would especially like to thank the sensitive and caring staff at the Critical Care Unit of Catawba Valley Medical Center, who treated him, and us, as members of their own family. We were deeply moved by their own personal sense of loss at learning of his passing.

The family requests that memorials in his honor be directed to either of two sites: 

The Winston-Salem Foundation Fund for Scholarships https://donate.wsfoundation.org/giveedu.aspx

The Duke Cancer Institute

 https://www.gifts.duke.edu/dci?technique_code=CCCWBDNN

Online condolences may be made to www.hayworth-miller.com