Lawrence Edward Debault

Dr. Lawrence Edward DeBault, born February 16, 1941, in Yoakum TX, passed away in OKC, OK on Friday September 18, 2020. Lawrence was preceded in death by his father Lawrence DeBault, mother Marie Sanders DeBault, brothers John (wife Donna) and Ray (wife Pam). He leaves behind his sisters Joan Dees, Martha Ann Stewart and Kathleen Blakeney (husband John), eight nieces and nephews, daughter Chantelle Brockwell (husband Gregory), grandson Tristen, and his beloved wife Magdalen of 55 years. He graduated from Calhoun County High School, Port Lavaca Texas, where he played the French Horn in the Calhoun Co. HS. Marching Band. He graduated and attended Victoria College where he had Choir and History class with Magdalen, his future wife. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Texas and supported the Longhorns by playing the French horn in the marching band. After graduating, in 1964, he spent a year on a research fellowship at the Nobel Institute for Medicine located in Stockholm, Sweden. Upon his return from Sweden, he married Magdalen Koehl and then they both returned to Sweden where they resided for two years. While they were there, he received his PhD. in Cell Biology from the University of Stockholm. In 1967, they moved to Boston where he completed a post Graduate Fellowship at Children's Cancer Research Center (Harvard Medical School) for two years. Later, they moved to Iowa City where they designed and built their dream home in The Woods. He was on the faculty at the University of Iowa College of Medicine and was there until 1980. In 1980, he was a Professor the Department of Pathology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City until his retirement. He was a founding member of the International Society of Analytical and Molecular Morphology (ISAMM) and on the board for several years. He was responsible for arranging annual international meetings. He was also a member of the Histochemical Society. He was always up to trying new things. He had several interests (photography, art, starting a winery just to name a few) over the years and was an avid gardener. One of his lifelong passions was singing. He was a member of the Our Lady's Catholic Church's Choir for serval years and an active member of the Canterbury Coral Society for over 30 years. He loved to teacher and was a lifetime teacher and mentor to others in his field and in life. He had a zest for life, saying on his 79th Birthday he wished he could live 79 years more because there a was so much more he wanted to do. He had an unfaltering love and commitment to his family. He was a wonderful, loving husband, father and Grandfather that will forever be missed. Memorial services will be held Saturday October 16, at 2pm, Smith and Kernke Funeral Home located at 14624 North May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK. 73134