Lauren Mcgrew
Age - 65
November 27, 2023
Lauren Ernest McGrew, 65, slid into home plate on November 24, 2023, after a battle with cancer. Lauren was born December 10, 1957, to Howard and Essie (Mobley) McGrew in Ruston, Louisiana. He graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 1975 where he met his life-long "babydoll," Debbie Harris. They married in August, 1978, and started their life together while he was studying engineering at Louisiana Tech. Lauren graduated in 1981 and the two lovebirds moved to Longview, Texas, where Lauren was employed by Eastman Kodak Chemical Company for 38 years, and S&B Engineering until his retirement in 2022. Lauren passionately dedicated his life to his faith, his family, and his community. Lauren accepted Christ at the age of 7 years old, and loved the Lord with all of his heart. He believed in sharing the good news of Jesus with everyone he knew, and found great joy in teaching his boys to love the Lord. Lauren and Debbie were joyfully active in the boys' lives, teaching Sunday School classes at Mobberly Baptist Church and then moving up into the youth group where Lauren volunteered for around 10 years. He was always up for anything, whether that was singing in a choir, leading mission groups, teaching, or just being a positive, loving "Pop" to everyone who knew him. The McGrew house was always open - and they spent a small fortune on food and drinks in those years, feeding any hungry teenager who happened to be over at mealtimes. Even after the boys grew up and the house quieted a little, Lauren found ways to continue to share his passion for life and his love for Christ. Lauren's passion for helping others and finding ways to solve needs within the community spilled beyond the bounds of Mobberly. Lauren loved sports and coaching, and could always work in a good sports metaphor in just about any conversation. He spent approximately 10 years with the Greater Longview Soccer Association. He also coached Longview boys' baseball and played softball whenever he could. If he wasn't around sports or church, he was with Cub Scouts Pack 29 and, eventually, Boy Scouts Troop 219. He loved helping his boys become Eagle Scouts, and spent many weekends camping. Lauren excelled best when he was helping someone else succeed. He loved being a part of Operation Cleansweep, repairing homes in need in the Longview area. He was also the cofounder of "JOGS" while serving on the GLOBE Board of Directors for approximately 10 years, which helped students find part time jobs during their junior and senior years. Lauren believed wholeheartedly in the future of our youth, and it was his joy and drive to help see students succeed. In more recent years, Lauren found a love in being one of the teachers in his and Debbie's BASIC small group at MBC and he and Debbie turned their hearts to spending time mentoring in Mobberly's Marriage Mentors program. They loved sharing their wisdom with young couples, encouraging them to seek God first and helping them navigate the early years of marriage. Lauren was a loving son, a devoted husband, a great father, a close friend and brother. If he had met you, he remembered you and made you feel known. His joy, however, exploded beyond belief when he finally held his first little grandchild in his arms. He loved nothing more than watching them grow, and always looked for ways to take them on little adventures. Lauren loved baseball, camping, trips to Arkansas with his wife, hiking, making friends everywhere he went, and spending time with his friends and family. He never went anywhere without seeing someone he knew, and loved watching the Texas Rangers win the World Series this year. Lauren is survived by his wife of 45 years, Debbie McGrew; two sons and their families, Todd and April McGrew, of Weatherford, and their children, Annabelle, Austin, and Asher, Josh and Courtny McGrew, of Point, and their children, Rebekah, Andrew, Timothy, Mia, and Lilly; a sister, Dana McGrew of Dexter, MO; a sister-in-law, Beth McKinney, and her husband, David, of Longview, and many other family members and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his sisters, Coleen and Robin McGrew. Honorary pallbearers are Jimmy Greene, Dave Thomas, Marty Connor, David Brotherton, Corey Vineyard, and Chris Bailey. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations made to Mobberly's Marriage Mentors program, or a favorite charity of your choice. The family also expresses their deep and sincere gratitude for HeartsWay Hospice; they are especially thankful for Liz, Angela, and Tobi's loving and compassionate care. Celebration of life will be held at Mobberly Baptist Church on Wednesday, November 29, at 3pm. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Per Lauren's request, the family asks that all attendees wear jeans and carry work gloves, reminding us that the Lord's work is to be continued, and that we are called to love and serve one another.Show more
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