Tributes paid to former E&S journalist who always made people laugh
A respected journalist who spent more than three decades covering the area where he grew up has died suddenly.
Dave Lawley was 61, and was renowned for his brilliant sense of humour.
A grandfather-of-one, he began his career on the Warley News Telephone, followed by a brief spell on The Evening Mail in Birmingham before joining the Express & Star's Cradley Heath office in 1977.
He went on to spend 30 years at the E&S, where he became deputy chief reporter of the Sandwell office, Black Lake, West Bromwich. He went on to be a press officer for Sandwell Council, and was a former chair of governors at Tividale Junior and Infants School.
Friends and family have paid tribute to the 'larger-than-life character', remembering him fondly for his gift of telling a story and making people laugh.
His wife Hilary, to whom he had been married for 39 years, said: "Almost all of the time, he was joking around. He was a really good family man and adored his daughter Rebecca.
"His granddaughter Isabelle was the light of his life and, talking to everybody else, he loved me to bits."
Ken Tudor, who worked with Mr Lawley for many of the years the pair spent on this newspaper, said: "He was such a funny man with an amazing brain. He was totally wasted where he was; he would have made a great detective."
Mr Tudor remembered a time Mr Lawley's imagination helped him dream up an award-winning image - when the number of Tory councillors in Sandwell was cut from 22 down to two in 1996 - Bill Archer and Ray Partridge - and they were pictured having their party meeting in a red phone box.
Mr Archer, a veteran councillor and former borough mayor, said: "He will be a sad loss to the community."
Avid Rangers fan Bob Kane, who worked with practical joker Mr Lawley, remembered a phone call he received minutes before his side's Scottish Cup Final of 1996 against Hearts.
Mr Kane said: "I had only just got Sky Sports and I had a call from a woman saying there was a problem with my subscription and they would have to turn it off for a few hours.
"That must have been Dave's co-conspirator. He was expecting me to hit the roof but I took it calmly, put the phone down and then hit the roof.
"He felt so bad he rang me back about it shortly after. That was typical of him. He was always up for a laugh."
Rangers went on to win the game 5-1. Mr Kane also recalled Mr Lawley was a skilful football player and would write to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club every time it sacked a manager, applying for the job.
Dan Slee, who worked in the Sandwell office of this newspaper for eight years, recalled when Mr Lawley offered his 100 shares in Spurs to Lord Alan Sugar as a token of support in his legal dispute with Terry Venables.
Mr Lawley received a polite letter back from Lord Sugar thanking him, but saying he believed his own multi-million pound shareholding in the club would be sufficient.
Mr Lawley's long-time friend Tom Watson MP added: "I'm devastated to hear of Dave's passing. Sandwell has lost a great public servant and I have lost a dear friend.
"My thoughts are with Dave's family at this time."
Sandwell Mayor Councillor Linda Horton added: "Dave was a respected old school journalist, a family man and a good friend to my husband Roger and I for many years.
"He reported on many of the big stories over the years but also championed the local area where he grew up.
"He was always a delight to deal with.
"I will remember him as a larger-than-life character with a true gift for story-telling who could have everyone falling about with laughter at a moment's notice.
"My thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time."
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