Lee David Lawson

For those who missed Lee's service

Lee’s Eulogy   

we are here today to celebrate the life of Lee Lawson,

For those who don’t know me, my name is Amy Skelton but to Lee I was fillymilly, a name he and Shannon Doyle bestowed upon me 15 years ago when working at Rogerson's racing.

Lee David Lawson was born on March 29, 1985 and is the son of Lesley Hurrell and Dave Lawson, middle brother to Amy, Daniel, Alexis and Josh ….... a father to Isabella and James.

 

He was born in Hamilton and when he was four, the family moved to Australia. He was 11 years old when they returned, at that time going to Mairoa Intermediate before attending Fraser High.

Education, though wasn’t his thing at that time and he left when he was 14 years of age.

Like a lot of people who were smaller in size, the life of a jockey looked good on paper and Nigel Walker helped him into a job with Paul Pertab. He later became apprenticed to Graeme Rogerson and later with Richard Collett In Auckland.

Lee managed to win three races First on the 28 August 2001 on a horse called Meteorite,

His second win a couple of weeks later on a horse called last laugh both trained by Richard Collet who said were good winning horses and his 3rd was with another local trainer on a horse

called Racing Brief on the 20th October 2001... While he managed to cross the finish line first three times, weight got the better of him and he put aside being a jockey, turning instead to breaking, pre-training and trackwork riding.

For the rest of his life, he was regarded as a great rider, something he attributes to Paul, the man who initially taught him how to ride before becoming apprenticed and whom he believed refined his riding skills. There would be nothing he wasn’t prepared to get on the back of.

Paul would remain his idol right up until his passing. In fact, Lee had been so excited to have been offered a job back with him in the New Year and that had been great to see the passion returning.

Lee moved to Australia around 2008, both to be with the mother of his twins and to try to make life better for himself.

He struggled while there, fighting so hard for access to his children whom he loved without reservation. Sadly, this was continually denied to him and he returned to New Zealand three years ago. I’ve never forgotten picking him up from the airport and his anguish at having the Tasman Sea between him and his kids. He so much wanted to be a father and in some ways, took on the role with my two when he thought it was needed.

Lee had a larger than life personality, there was never a dull moment with him around.

He was unforgettable and even though some weren’t sure what they were getting into with him when they first met him, I know he has touched everyone he met in some way.

Life was sometimes not good or fair to Lee, and he made some poor choices and we all know that.

He had his moments, and could be a fiery person, it was look out if you were on the receiving end. 

He liked to be in control of things, it was part of his personality and he hated when he wasn’t - that’s when you’d probably run into trouble with lee.

Yet he had a big heart, good intentions, and a massive love for his children,

He worked harder than any man I have ever known to try to be a part of their lives and I will always remember and admire him for the sustained fight he put up.

When he loved, he did so with his whole heart and as often happened when his relationships broke down, it took him a long time to get over them.

Lee was intensely private. He liked to keep what he was doing to himself, and keep people guessing. He didn’t like to show his emotions as to him, that was being vulnerable and he didn’t like that either. But his actions spoke louder than words.

Friends I have spoken to over the last couple days would describe Lee as

caring,

trustworthy,

there for those he cared about,

a pain in the backside at times,

determined,

mischievous,

didn’t care what other thought, he had his own opinions,

If you were very close to him, you knew he had your back.

Lee was a very intelligent person maybe not academically yet he certainly was clever

and could do anything he put his mind too.

I had a message from Jamie Lee Good in Australia who said Lee was adored by everyone at Rosehill,

knowing he got up to some things that weren’t great, but he wasn’t like that at Rosehill and that he had made some really good friends who would miss him.

He was a real character and just a good guy to be around.

I was talking to Jamie Ballie last night about how Lee’s favorite color was white, he said he got that from Brendon Hawton when he returned to New Zealand and always wore white, Lee would dress like him. 

Lee was an amazing cook (much to his mother’s great surprise) I’m really going to miss his gourmet cooking, he could have opened his own restaurant and he’d be successful, he often talked about that. Every time I was in the kitchen, he’d come up behind tell me I was doing it wrong and in typical Lee style take over and order me about. I never minded, it’s always great to see a guy cooking in the kitchen. He enjoyed it and took pride in the food he made.

That wasn’t to say every dish was a success - His mum remembers a meal he made for her of mince, she asked uhh what did you put in this, he said salt pepper, herbs and orange juice ...well she said Son it doesn't taste that great, to which he had to admit it didn’t.

Asked what he was like as a kid and I was told a little shit, yet he was loved. When his sister Amy was only 2 weeks old and it was time for bed, he got up and instead of stepping over her on his was to bed he stood on her.

Another of his mother’s memories of when he was about 4, he was being a dick on his tricycle he had, well he slipped and landed straight between the handlebars, that taught him.

But on a positive note, she says he was a great Nav-Man, he always knew his way around when she needed it in the car.

His Sister Amy remembers when she was in Primary Lee locked her in a shed with another boy and he wouldn’t let them out until they kissed

His father said Lee had a way of trying his best but also at times, he’d go off the rails. Lee had few opportunities, but had so many things he wanted to achieve.

He was a very private person but always had goals and big dreams. So young, he says, to leave us and will be missed.

I know Lee was very private about me and what he told people, because I was his safe harbour for all the years we knew one another. I was there for him in some of his darkest moments, he’d either call me or always land on my doorstep and I’d take him in, we were frequently teased for acting like an old married couple.

He’d always be saying Fillymilly ya know ya love me and I’d say of course I do I’m just not in love with you. We had that type of unique connection, we loved each other yet weren’t in love.

Lee didn’t like to think people had him figured out, yet I did and he knew it and sometimes would get annoyed at that fact, he wasn’t always the easiest person to deal with that’s for sure,

Lee Loved his Tattoos and recently got one on his chest of a cross and blue rose. Not long after he was there with me getting my first one, teasing me on how he thought I’d cry and it’d hurt. Well, I think he was actually surprised I barely flinched.

Lee recently started work at Ohukia Lodge for Chanel Beatson and Jamie Beatson where he quickly fitted in and became an important part of their small team

Take a moment to look on how far he had come. All the struggles, challenges and milestones he had passed and overcome; he was a uniquely beautiful person

I can’t tell everyone enough of how proud I am of him and how far he had come, He wanted to be a better man, he was wanting to start his own business breaking in horses, he was finally really happy and found his purpose,

He’d say to me Fillymilly ya know I’m a diamond in the rough - or God's gift, which in turn I’d either say....... what from the bargain bin or if you're god gift well I’m god's angel and that trumps you which he always scoffed at that, or had a retort back.

Lee always had a smart remark for everything

It seems God wanted his gift back and you only can imagine the trouble he’ll be causing on the other side; his favorite series was Lucifer on Netflix and I’d often tease Lee of styling himself on him. That show will forever remind me of him.

Lee you are much loved and that great personality of yours will be greatly missed, you will never be forgotten

Till we meet again ❤️