Obituary for Lawrence "Lonny" Males

Lawrence Barrett Males, 77, of Matthews, died Saturday, April 4, 2020, at the Novant Health – Presbyterian Main Campus in Charlotte, NC.

“Lonny”, as he was more commonly known, was born in Petersburg, Virginia, on May 13, 1942, the son of Lawrence and May Bowser Males. Upon his graduation from St. Emma’s Military Academy, he attended the Police Academy in New York City and began a lifelong career of service in the NYPD, from which he ultimately retired from as a detective.

In 1962, after graduating from St. Emma’s and while spending time at the beach in Rockway, NY, he met a young lady named Ms. Vilma Archbold, whom he firmly believed he was going to marry. Upon asking her for her number, he received a number from her but unbeknownst to him, it wasn’t Vilma’s number because she was raised in a family where you did not do that. The following summer, he ran into her again and through a friend, found out she lived on Leslie Street. Undaunted, Lonny proceeded to go door to door on Leslie Road until he found someone who knew Vilma and where she lived. When he stopped by her house, Vilma was not home but her parents invited him in and as Vilma would tell you, her mom fell in love with the “clean cut young man” before Vilma even saw him. Well, his statement about marrying her turned out to be correct and after a short courtship, they were married on May 30, 1964.

Lonny led a lifetime of service because of all the things in life he enjoyed, serving his fellow man and being around others were what he enjoyed most. Lonny is survived by his wife of almost 56 years, Mrs. Vilma Males; Lonny and Vilma’s daughter Monique Renee Males Grinage (husband Andrew) and their children Andrew Jr, Sydney, Skylar, Chase and Chandler and their two grandchildren London and Andrew III; Lonny and Vilma’s son Lawrence Stewart Males (wife Sooyon) and their four children Ramon, Neshamah, Hadassah and Keziah and their two grandchildren Victor and Emily; a brother-in-law who he truly had a brother relationship with, Antonio Archbold; and his two nieces: Danielle Dumas and family as well as Michelle Hollis and family. He also helped to raise three other children: Sonia, Erikka and Monica and their children, Jahquis, Indirah and Roy Terry. Lawrence is further survived by his church family at Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church in Charlotte, as well as numerous other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Mona Lisa and Danny.  Thank you for keeping the Males family in your thoughts, prayers and acts of kindness during this difficult time.