G. William “Bill” Lavender, Sr.

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G. William “Bill” Lavender, Sr., 86, of Texarkana, Arkansas, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2025, following a brief illness. He was born on December 28, 1938, in Texarkana to Doris Westbrook and Floyd William Lavender. He attended Fairview Elementary and Jefferson Avenue Junior High before advancing to Arkansas Senior High and graduating with the class of 1957 where he served as Student Body President. He earned his B.A. from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville before applying for the United States Navy. Following his four years full-time in the Navy, he worked for Humble Oil and Refining in Texas before moving back to Fayetteville to earn his law degree.

While at the University of Arkansas for undergrad and law school, he was the student manager and trainer for the 1959 Razorback baseball team and for the basketball team from 1960 through 1962, was on the Editorial Board for the Arkansas Law Review, a member of Delta Theta Phi law fraternity and served as a commanding officer of a small service unit of the U.S. Naval Reserves.

Lavender practiced law in Texarkana for over 50 years-beginning with the Arnold and Arnold Law Firm-before striking out on his own as an associate and later partner of Lavender, Rochelle and Barnette Law Firm where he defended many national and international law firms in business, corporate law, civil cases and product liability in state and federal courts. Lavender was active throughout his legal career also serving as a federal magistrate judge, special justice on the Arkansas State Supreme Court, City Attorney and as past President of the Texarkana and Southwest Arkansas Bar Associations.

His civic involvement included President of the Texarkana Public Library Commission, Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of Texarkana, Arkansas, Board Member of the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council, Chairman of the Texarkana Airport Authority Board where he served for nearly four decades, Texarkana Arkansas Baseball Association Commission and an Elder and member of the session of Trinity Presbyterian Church before becoming a member of Williams Memorial United Methodist Church late in his life.

He was known to be meticulous in every way. From his exquisite penmanship to his 3.03 mile jogs to his Sunday night ironing with his homemade starch. He also kept his desk and drawers at home in top military order. He was never known to leave out a single detail in stories he shared, especially about his lifetime loves: his family, naval service aboard the USS Carpenter and rising to Lieutenant Commander, how to make the best popcorn, the game of golf and what the Razorbacks could have improved on to pull out a victory.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his special aunt, Vera Lavender Schmieder who helped raise him.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sue Briley Lavender and children Betsy Lavender, Julie Lavender Borowitz (John) and George William Lavender, Jr. “Billy”. G Daddy is also survived by his grandchildren: Hollan Briley Borowitz, George William Lavender, III “Trey”, John Thomas Borowitz and Libby Gale Lavender.

His family is grateful for the love, care and comfort provided by caregivers and medical staff at The Waterton, Christus St. Michael and Hospice of Texarkana.

The family will greet friends on Saturday, January 25 from 10:30a.m. until noon at Texarkana Funeral Home on Texas Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:

Texarkana Arkansas School District

3435 Jefferson Ave

Texarkana, AR 71854

870-772-3371

where he was a student, 2010 Distinguished Alumnus, did radio play-by-play from the press box for the high school football team for 25 years, was longtime legal counsel and in that role defended his high school’s legal right to share the use of the trademark “Razorbacks” with his University.

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