Laurence R. Kingsley

Laurence R. Kingsley, 96, of East Smithfield, passed away on Wednesday,  March 11, 2026 at the Towanda Skilled Nursing Home following a recent illness.

He was born on June 29, 1929, the son of the late O.J. and Margaret (Keeler) Kingsley.

Laurence owned and operated Kingsley Lumber in East Smithfield. This was a family business started by his father as O.J. Kingsley Lumber and Sons, where he and his brothers worked with their father and was passed down as Kingsley Bros. Lumber. Following years of working together, he purchased the family business.

Laurence was an avid hunter, enjoyed fishing, playing Texas Hold’em Poker, and following the Stock Market and the Gas Industry. He was always busy making maple syrup, splitting firewood, and driving around in his 1958 Jeep.

Laurence was a member of the E. Smithfield Federated Church for many years and then the Sayre Christian Church. He was a Board Member at the SRU High School, serving as Board President. The school then merged with Athens Area School District, and Laurence continued to serve on the board, where he also was Board President. He was a Board Member at the First National Bank and then C&N for many years.

He was predeceased by his wife; Harriet Ginn Kingsley, mother; Margaret Keeler Kingsley, father; O.J. Kingsley, step-mother; Evelyn Dodge Kingsley, brothers; Louis Kingsley, Laverne Kingsley, and Richard Kingsley.

Laurence is survived by his children; Janet Kingsley (William B., Jr) Shaffer, Charles R. (Patricia) Kingsley, and Edgar (Deborah) Kingsley, grandchildren; Lindsay (Brian) Angstadt, Sandra (Brian) Dulay, Ray M. Shaffer, Daniel Ray Kingsley, Frank William Kingsley, and Erin Kingsley, great-grandchildren; William Angstadt, Jesse Angstadt, and Kimberly Angstadt, sisters; Lois Elvidge and Linda Hardenstine, brother; Layton (Elizabeth) Kingsley, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Friends and family may call on Tuesday, March 24, 2026 from 11am-1pm at the Lowery-Urban Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 225 S. Main St., Athens, PA. Funeral Services will follow at the funeral home at 1pm.

Burial will follow at Union Cemetery, East Smithfield, PA.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sayre Christian Church, 427 S. Keystone Ave., Sayre, PA 18840 or March of Dimes Foundation, P.O. Box 5141, Boone, IA 50950 or www.marchofdimes.org.

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