Jerome David “Dave” Laurence passed peacefully Jan. 13, 2021, at the Barnegat Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Barnegat at the age of 85. Born Dec. 22, 1935, in Westwood, Dave graduated Westwood High School and married Nila Petersen in 1956. He remained a North Jersey resident for the first half of his life, working as an electric company lineman and starting his family. In his 30s, they moved to Harvey Cedars; Dave commuted to Asbury where he ran a Texaco station. Finding his groove as a business owner, Dave opened up a car wash followed by Dave’s Texaco station, which was a fixture on Long Beach Boulevard in the 1970s through the late 1980s.
In 1979, Dave, always eager to help those who needed it, fell for Gloria D. Haines after fixing her car battery. They were married the following year, lived in Surf City, and moved to Brant Beach in 1982 where they lived until Dave retired. In “semi” retirement, Dave and Gloria moved to Atlantic Hills in Manahawkin where he kept himself busy with driving for the Shoreline bus company, building intricate models of boats and ships, fixing up and improving whatever needed it, and enjoying life with his favorite gal and his growing family.
Son of the late Jerome Adrian Francis Laurence and Lyla Mullin, Dave was also predeceased by his stepfather Jerome Mullin, brother-in-law Bob Geiger, son-in-law Wayne Fisler, and nephew Wayne Geiger.
He is survived by his loving wife, Gloria; his dear sister, Barbara Geiger; children and stepchildren Jeff Laurence (Cheryl), Diane Farmer (Keith), Rich Laurence (Mari), Gary Laurence (Allison), Lisa Hill (Joey), Diane Fisler, and Robert Haines (Gerda). He is also survived by his loving nieces Janet Reilly and Susan Kenny, as well as 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be private for the immediate family in North Jersey in early February. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dave’s name can be made to the Friends of the Ocean County Animal Shelter, 360 Haywood Road, Manahawkin, NJ 08050.
The article originally appeared in the February 4 – 10, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
