Past and present Warsaw city officials remembered former at-large Warsaw City councilman Dewey Lawshe this morning.
Lawshe died at age 69 Sunday after battling cancer. Lawshe’s full obituary appears on page 3A of today’s Times-Union.
He served as an at-large Warsaw city councilman from 1996-2000.
Lawshe served on the city council in the at-large seat with Tammy Rockey. He also served with Jerry Patterson. Lawshe also served with former councilmen Eugene Brumfield, Porter Polston and Mac Silveus, who all have died.
Lawshe served under former Warsaw mayor Jeff Plank, who said he enjoyed serving with Lawshe.
“We respected one another’s opinions and he was outspoken and I appreciated that and that made me a better and more well-rounded mayor,” Plank said.
Plank said he valued Lawshe’s opinions and representation.
Former Warsaw mayor and city councilman Ernie Wiggins said Lawshe had a heart for the city.
Wiggins was a council member in 1996, and then became mayor in March 1997 when Plank resigned.
“I’m sorry to hear of Dewey’s passing, he was one of a kind and will be missed,” Wiggins said.
He said Lawshe had the taxpayers’ interest in mind, and was conservative in philosophy and expenditure decisions for the city.
Current Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer said he learned of Lawshe’s passing Sunday afternoon from a mutual friend.
Thallemer served on Warsaw Plan Commission from 2000-2003 with Lawshe.
“I enjoyed working with Dewey, though we did not always agree, we respected one another’s opinions,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer said Lawshe represented the city well.
“Dewey was committed and understood the concerns of the city and wanted to do the right thing,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer described Lawshe as being “spirited” even when he was battling cancer.
“The city definitely feels the loss, he was a central part of our community,” Thallemer said.
Thallemer said Lawshe never feared to speak his mind, but did so in a gentleman’s way.
