LINCOLNTON, N.C.—Lawrence David “Bud” Warlick, Jr. died on Saturday, December 27, 2025.

He was born in Lincolnton on Thanksgiving Day in 1939 to Lawrence David Warlick Sr. and Mary Grattan Graham Warlick. He grew up in a time when children were truly free range, and nearly everyone in town knew Bud and his wire-haired Terrier, Skip.

Bud was educated in Lincolnton City Schools and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In high school, he played first-chair cornet and lettered in football, basketball, and baseball. At UNC - Chapel Hill, he majored in economics, was a member of the Chi Phi fraternity, participated in intramural sports, and was very active in campus social life.

Following college, Bud married his high school sweetheart, Mollie, and the two moved to Cincinnati, where he continued his education in mortuary science. After a year in Cincinnati, they returned to Lincolnton. At the age of 35, Bud took over the operation of Warlick Funeral Home following the death of his father, becoming the third generation of the Warlick family to lead the business.

Bud devoted his life to service, both professionally and personally. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as both Deacon and Elder. He was also a trustee of Holden Beach Chapel, where he was an affiliate member. He was a member of the Rotary Club, a Mason, and a Shriner, organizations that reflected his deep commitment to charity and service to others. He chaired numerous charitable fundraisers, and held leadership roles with the American Red Cross, including chairman of the Red Cross Board and Blood Mobile chairman. He genuinely wanted to be of service to everyone he met, and he never met a stranger.

His commitment to public service extended to local government, where he served on the Lincoln County School Board and the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners, and later as chairman of the Lincoln County Hospital Board. In addition, Bud was instrumental in starting Lincoln Bank, and after a merger, served on the board of First Charter Bank.

Bud also found joy in simple acts of service. He especially enjoyed delivering meals for Christian Ministry’s LINC Meals program, where he valued the time spent visiting with members of the community. Through this he came to adopt a Basset Hound named Cleatus, after Cleatus’ owner passed away, a companionship that brought him great joy.

Bud had a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature and treasured many years of family time at Holden Beach. He and Mollie enjoyed traveling and made several trips to Europe, where they managed to lose their way in London, Amsterdam, and Paris, yet always found their way back to where they were supposed to be. He also enjoyed many trips throughout the United States, including a memorable fishing trip to Alaska with his son, echoing a hunting trip Bud himself had taken with his father to the Yukon. He spent several spring breaks skiing in Colorado, where he also occasionally found himself lost high above the treeline.

Bud was preceded in death by his parents and by his beloved seven-year-old son, Peden.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mollie; his son, Lawrence David “Dave” Warlick III, and wife Christie of Sherrills Ford; his daughters, Laura Elizabeth Warlick Scott and husband Mays of Kernersville, and Sarah Peden Warlick Hattman and husband David of Cary.

He is also survived by eight grandchildren: Peden Warlick and wife Shannon of Clover, S.C.; Harris Warlick and wife Meredith of Charleston, S.C.; Graham Warlick of Denver; Preston Scott and Ryker Scott of Kernersville; and Mary Lawrence Hattman, Etta Hattman, and Elizabeth “Betty” Hattman of Cary. He is further survived by one great grandchild, Remington Warlick.

The service will be in the Warlick Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31, 2025 with burial to follow in Hollybrook Cemetery in Lincolnton.

Memorials may be made to Christian Ministry’s LINC Meals program (Christian Ministry of Lincoln County, PO Box 423, Lincolnton, NC 28093) or to the charity of the one’s choice.

Warlick Funeral Home of Lincolnton, N.C. is serving the Warlick family.