Fred Allen Laws Jr.

Fred Allen Laws Jr., 84, of Concord, went to be with his Lord on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, with his wife and all four of his children by his side.

Fred was born on January 6, 1940, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to the late Fred Allen Laws Sr. and Sarah Ollie Frazier Laws. He grew up in Concord, down the street from his lifelong love, Mary Louise Small. He graduated from Winecoff High School in 1958 and Wingate Junior College in 1960. He often reminisced about his college summers spent fighting forest fires in Pierce, Idaho. His family will remember his stories about hitchhiking from Kannapolis to Idaho and how he loved the mountains, cool rivers and wildlife there.

Fred and Mary were married on June 19, 1965, in Kannapolis, and started their family, which would grow to include four children, their spouses, and six grandchildren. He was most proud of his family.

Fred started his career at Kerr Bleachery in the finishing department. He was a sales representative for NAPA Batteries and enjoyed meeting new people as he traveled across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. He served his community as a volunteer fireman at Winecoff Fire Department. In retirement, he drove a school bus for Cabarrus County Schools.

He was a lifelong and faithful member of Brookdale Baptist Church in Kannapolis, where he coached the men’s softball team for many years.

Fred was a wonderful storyteller with a quick wit and a story or fact about everything. He loved going fishing, playing and watching sports, telling jokes and listening to music — especially Southern gospel, country and boogie-woogie blues piano. Most of all, he loved his wife, his children, his grandchildren and his many lifelong friends.

Those left to cherish his memory include his beloved wife of 59 years, Mary Louise Small Laws; children, Kevin Laws (Kippi), Eric Laws (Lisa), Donna Laws Missroon (Mark) and Amy Laws; grandchildren, Stewart Laws, Katherine Laws Waters (Luke), Brett Laws, Thomas Laws (fiancée Kate), Sarah Missroon, and Elizabeth Missroon; and sister-in-law Rita Small Brewer.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at Brookdale Baptist Church. The funeral will begin at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Jonathan Barnette officiating, assisted by Rev. Luke Waters. Burial will immediately follow at Carolina Memorial Park.

The family would like to thank the Kannapolis Fire Department, the staff of the internal pulmonary unit at Atrium Health Cabarrus and the staff of Adoration Home Health for their wonderful care. The family also extends gratitude to his many lifelong friends for their love, and especially Levoy Helms and Larry Ingram in Fred’s final days.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Brookdale Baptist Church (2511 South Ridge Avenue, Kannapolis, NC 28083) or to Strides for Stroke (Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation, 920 Church Street N., Concord, NC, 28025.)

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com.