'Mr. Laguna' Harry Lawrence dies at 98

In the 1950s, Harry founded the Beatification Committee and the Holiday Bureau of the Chamber of Commerce to bring tourists to Laguna in the winter, and raised revenue by an innovation called bed taxes.

The next decade saw Harry founding the Civic League, dedicated to preserving the "Village Atmosphere," and helping reduce sign clutter, which resulted in one of California's toughest sign ordinances.

He was a founder and board member of Lyric Opera, which morphed into Opera Pacific; board member of the Festival of Arts; twice president of the Chamber of Commerce, which he helped resuscitate from its near-moribund state after World War II; he served as area district governor of Laguna's Rotary; and he was on Laguna's 1980 Committee, which forged the city's General Plan. He was very involved in fundraising for the construction of South Coast Hospital, the first one in South Orange County.

Harry served on the Laguna Art Museum board, twice as vice president. He chaired the "Confidential Committee," which worked to resolve the rampant drug-related activities in town.

In 1980, the Rotary Club gave him the Paul Perris Award, its highest honor, and he was named to the advisory board of Woodbury University, his alma mater.

Throughout the years, Harry supported local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5868.

As reported in the Coastline Pilot, a plaque celebrating his membership was presented to Harry last July by Post Commander Bill Sandlin at a ceremony honoring war heroes. Senior Vice Commander Arnie Silverman organized the tribute, which included a recap of Harry's military service.

"Harry's history of achievements is overwhelming," Silverman said. "A World War II veteran, he commanded an LSI-329 amphibious ship that made numerous beach landings of Marines in the thick of fighting in the battle-torn Solomon Islands. Often under attack by Japanese torpedo bombers, he once came close to losing his ship. He rose from Ensign to Lt. Commander and by war's end, he captained his own ship."

Harry was also a savvy businessman.

In 1947, Harry and Maxine bought Warren Imports, a small gift shop in the French Family's enclave on South Coast Highway that featured works by local artists and potters. They had gone into the shop to buy a wedding gift.