Dr. Wayne P. Lawson, a highly recognized and respected champion for the arts, artists, and cultural vitality in Ohio and across the globe, died June 19, 2024 at Riverside Hospital in Columbus, due to complications from a heart attack. He passed peacefully, yet somewhat reluctantly, in the loving presence of his partner of 47 years, Dr. William Mitchell, and a circle of close, devoted friends. He was just days short of his eighty-third birthday.
Lawson was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Eddie and Olga Napapovin Lawson (his father a proud Scot, his mother a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant). He was raised in a working-class home, with his mother’s two sisters in residence. His was a microcosm of a classic American melting-pot family, imbued with a rich cultural tapestry of music, food, and tradition, and an uninhibited expression of opinion, debate, and affection. This upbringing would serve Wayne well for the life he eventually would lead.
As a child, Wayne’s mother encouraged his creative inclinations and supported his early music education in accordion studies. Fortunately for all of us, he gave this practice up and would only reflect on it in later years as a momentary aberration. (His friends worried forever he might return to this early calling.) As a sign of things to come, Wayne also exhibited innate skills in leadership, as exemplified by the occasion when he encouraged a younger cousin to don a superhero cape and jump from the family’s garage roof, assuring his younger protege that the cape would allow him to soar. It did not. Thanks God, all that resulted was a broken arm. And, no doubt, his mother’s wrath.
And yet somehow, Wayne progressed past these early challenges (mostly), and became an academic and professional legend in Ohio and beyond.
His remarkable career as arts leader, advisor, professor, mentor, and innovator was well-documented in a feature article by Nancy Gilson for the Columbus Dispatch (https://www.dispatch.com/story/entertainment/arts/2024/06/20/wayne-lawson-ohio-arts-council-executive-director-dies-obituary/74155244007/) , and there is little need for us to repeat her wonderful effort. That said, Wayne would not be at all happy if we failed to pause a moment to shine a light on the extensive accomplishments achieved in the long-term cultural exchanges he led with the nation of Chile.
Over more than a decade, Lawson initiated dozens of projects which brought Ohio artists, performers, and arts professionals to communities across Chile, and in turn, enriched Ohio communities with return visits of Chilean artists and arts leaders. Upon learning of Lawson’s passing, his close friend and collaborator, Drina Rendic, President of the Chilean Chapter of the National Museum of Women in the Arts said, “Wayne was a visionary leader who made significant contributions to the arts community in Ohio...Many Chilean arts administrators are greatly indebted to him for the skills they learned through these exchanges and for his appreciation of Chilean arts and culture…His passion and dedication have left a lasting legacy in our hearts and minds.” In recognition of his remarkable work in Chile, Lawson became the first American ever to be honored by the Government of Chile with their prestigious Medal of the Arts Award.
The Chilean projects, and the many deep and close friendships he forged with his Chilean partners, both during the actual programming years and through many visits after—the last as recently as this past December—remained among the greatest joys of his life.
With that, and in the limited space and time we have here, let us share the other, more personal, side of Wayne.
It must be said that for all his academic and professional accomplishments, Wayne remained, in his heart, “the kid from Cleveland”, imbued with a spirit of adventure, eager to discover all that life might offer, and driven with an openness to engage with everyone he met along life’s path. The recognition and accolades he achieved are remarkable, but they did not define him. Wayne will most be remembered for the passion, curiosity, wit, and humanity he brought to his life, and the lives of those around him, each day.
As his close friend Cordelia Robinson, who with her late husband, Grant, traveled extensively with Wayne and his partner, Bill over the past 20 years, said, “People might be surprised that Wayne was quite athletic and adventurous! It even surprised me! But in fact, we hiked together through the dunes of the Atacama Desert in Chile, we zip-lined above Montevideo, Uruguay. We even fished for piranha in the Amazon. And, of course, we spent countless hours studying art and walking through museums in Paris, London, and Madrid. Wherever we traveled, Wayne always had wonderful insights and background to share on the visual arts, the music, the literature, and even the history and politics of the country we were in at the time.”
Wayne’s accrued exploits and experiences are the stuff of legend among his friends and associates, and his ability to retell each episode of his life—often, with an ever-evolving sheen of exaggeration—was stunning to behold! For those lucky enough to be among Wayne’s circle of friends, those afternoons or evenings spent over a bottle or several of wine became, in a way, his personally staged re-enactment of the classic folktales of 1001 Arabian Nights.
And as regards his “circle of friends”, while it is true to say that there were indeed “levels” of attachment in Wayne’s Wonderful World, it is just as accurate to note this: As some might collect rare wines, Wayne collected, and treasured, his friends. Each party, trip, or meeting brought the opportunity for him to find fascination with a new acquaintance. That fascination led to further conversation which led to another lunch or happy hour or dinner, and soon, he had acquired a new member into the fascinating portfolio of friends he assembled over his life.
In the past few weeks, that circle pulled closer, and friends from across the world focused their attention on Wayne, with deep hopes for one more evening together to share stories, plans, cocktails, and more. While that was not to be, Wayne would be thrilled to know that those many overlapping circles have continued to coalesce, even in his absence, and the memories, stories, and laughter have poured forth, unabated.
The evening of Wayne’s passing, Corde Robinson reflected, “There are many women around the world weeping tonight that they won’t have the opportunity to dance just one more time with Wayne”, as he was a notorious and marvelous dancer with a special flair for Latin, Lambada, and Dirty Dancing styles. Perhaps it was in dance that Wayne could merge a multitude of his passions all at once—a love for the physical nature of life, a love for music pulsing through his body, an unbridled love of closeness to his friends, and yes, even the unending joy he found of excelling in the spotlight. Ah Wayne, how we will all miss you!
Wayne is survived by his partner of 47 years, Dr. William (Bill) Mitchell of Columbus, his sister-in-law, Ann Quinn (CA), nieces Barclay Quinn and Ashley Postlewaite (Clark) (CA); grand niece and nephew, Ann and William Postlewaite (CA); and his family of choice and multiple circles of friends across the globe.
A Celebration of Life will be planned for early autumn. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wayne P. Lawson Memorial Fund For Creativity Holding Account c/o The Columbus Foundation 1234 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43205 or by emailing Steven Moore at [email protected].
For further information, please go to http://schoedinger.com.
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