Weldon T. Lawrence Jr. was born on May 30, 1925. He attended and graduated from Roanoke College in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science/Art degree in economics Roanoke he was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi fraternity.
Lawrence established Lawrence Transportation Systems in 1950, shortly after graduating from Roanoke College. It proved to be a family enterprise, with Lawrence's wife and son, Chip (who stepped in as president when Lawrence retired) joining the business.
Lawrence served as Roanoke's Sesquicentennial Campaign Committee from 1982 through 1992. He was a member of the Roanoke College National Associates Committee and the Community Advisory Committee. During his career, Lawrence was a member of the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce, was president of the Virginia Movers and Warehouse Association, and served as director of United Van Lines. He had a very active role and involvement with the Transportation Museum of Virginia.
Lawrence was a trustee of the Art Museum of Western Virginia and the Garden Club. In 1992, Lawrence and his wife donated packing and shipping services to Roanoke College when they moved over 168,000 books and 321,000 items into the newly renovated Fintel Library. They also came to Roanoke's aid in September of 1992 when they trucked campus-donated items to Florida to assist the victims of Hurricane Andrew.
Weldon T. Lawrence received the Roanoke College Medal on April 18, 1994 for his ideals of responsible leadership, intellectual integrity and good citizenship through his professional accomplishments and service to the community and Roanoke College. Weldon and his wife Doris Lawrence were married on December 27, 1947 and raised two children together; Elizabeth L. Whitley and W. Sherwood Lawrence.
Weldon T. Lawrence received the Roanoke College Medal in 1994.