Last Thursday, the City College family came together in the Garvin Theatre to remember the life of David Lawyer Jr., who died from leukemia at 10:14 p.m. on July 15.
About 200 people came to share “Stories About David.” Shortly after 2 p.m., History Professor John Eggler stepped onto the stage. The chatty crowd was silent before he could get to the podium.
    Eggler took his place to the right of a large photograph of Lawyer. He held up a red plastic heart that was in Lawyer’s office. Holding it tightly, Eggler said it represented what Lawyer was about.    
“When we heard of David’s death, all of us in IDC tried to out-comfort each other,” said Eggler. “We still weep.”
    The event was called “A Celebration in Honor of the Life and Work of David Lawyer Jr.”
    Fifteen people spoke interspersed with three video clips of Lawyer. Their anecdotes formed a common picture of a lively, caring man with a contagious smile and a cool strut. This was a man who loved to teach, did so brilliantly and made a difference in many lives.
Eggler focused on the theme: We are Family. It was the same theme Lawyer used when he was the Faculty Lecturer for the 1996-1997 school year. “We Are Family” is more than a song by Sister Sledge circa 1974; it is how Lawyer viewed City College with all of its wonderful diversity.
        Superintendent-President John Romo also took the stage. He injected humor when he said, “David was here before I got here. He was a lot older than I am.”
They had many good times together, sometimes wild and wooly, sometimes tense. Romo said Lawyer was a strong articulate faculty leader. He knew if Lawyer approached him it would be about service to others.
      “To me, David Lawyer personified the ability to argue with passion, to listen respectfully, and then to re-argue with you with even more passion until he got you to do what he wanted you to do,” Romo said amidst chuckles.
      Romo listed Lawyer’s attributes that worked to make the world a better place.
“We will honor his legacy here at Santa Barbara City College,” Romo said.
It meant a lot to Romo when Lawyer greeted him a year ago with a hug and a slap on the back.
       “We will miss him very much at Santa Barbara City College,” Romo said.
He then told the crowd that City College had established a David Lawyer Scholarship Fund.
    Tracey Lawyer, David’s wife, and three of his four children were there: Kerry, Tracye and Kymberly Lawyer. David Lawyer III did not attend.
    “Our entire family wants to thank everyone for your support,” Tracye said. “To all his colleagues, friends and students, thank you for making this campus his home away from home.”
    Tracye said her father was kind, patient, loving, intelligent, funny, crazy, smart, competitive and a little eccentric with the most infectious smile.
Referring to his illness, she said being in front of the classroom was his medicine.
    Kerry, 30 years old, said he grew up on the campus. He quoted a former student who wrote to the News-Press, “Even on the best Santa Barbara beach day, it was tough to miss Dr. Lawyer’s class.”
    Kerry said cancer silenced a great voice and took away a father, husband, teacher and friend, but it will never ever take away the memories. Kerry told everyone, “If your parents are still alive, call them today and say ‘hi.'”
       Lawyer grew up in Harlem, New York, where he attended elementary schools. His family moved to Southern California and Lawyer finished his high school years with honors at Oxnard High School.
    Lawyer continued his education and basketball career at Princeton University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in 1968.
    Thanks to Vietnam, his plan to enter law school was diverted. He chose education like other family members. His father, David Lawyer Sr., was a teacher.
    Lawyer taught African American History at UCSB and joined the City College faculty in 1969. He continued as a visiting lecturer at UCSB through 1977. He added to his degrees during this period, with graduate courses in political science. He received his master’s degree, cum laude, in 1971 and a master’s in philosophy in 1974.
    Lawyer’s career at City College bursts with accomplishment and leadership. In 1972, he co-created the American Ethnic Studies Department and served as chair for many years. He also chaired the Social Science Division and the Extended Opportunity Program’s Financial Aid Advisory Committee.
       He taught in several departments. Courses include: African American History, Racism, American Government and Politics, and Law and Society. 
        “I just found out about his death last week,” said City College student Emmanuel Fabre outside the Garvin Theatre. “He never told his students he had leukemia. There was never any hint of it. He was strong, vibrant and always happy.”
Peter Haslund, president of the academic senate, has an office next to Lawyer’s. “He was my office mate,” Haslund said on the way out. “It will be a long time before I can use the past tense.”
“I’m grateful to be here,” Eggler said in his concluding remarks. ” I can’t express how much I loved this guy.”
      One of Eggler’s colleagues is collecting stories for a book about David Lawyer Jr. He wants to share this with Lawyer’s family, especially Kymberly, the youngest daughter. If you have stories, please contact John Eggler at [email protected].