The concept seemed simple enough when Terry Lawson announced plans to start a roofing business.

But there always was more than met the eye when it came to Mr. Lawson.

This was no run-of-the-mill roofing business. Endur All Technologies, as he dubbed it, used state-of-the-art products designed to last much longer than typical roofing materials and revolutionize the industry.

Mr. Lawson died July 18 after a lengthy battle with leukemia. The longtime Evergreen native squeezed a huge amount of graciousness and generosity into his productive 64 years, which included the concurrent roles of brother, husband, father and innovative founder of the still-flourishing business he started in 1996.

"It didn't surprise me that he took off and ran with it," said Mr. Lawson's younger brother, Jim. "He was not a roofing man, but he had business sense. He got in touch with the right people in the industry, and he took it from there."

While the technical jargon can be confusing for people not familiar with roofing, Mr. Lawson's company's mission was to develop a product that would withstand wind and hail damage better than anything on the market. It developed and patented two products that, when melded together, served as a far better source for climate-exposed roofs.

Along the way, Mr. Lawson earned the respect and loyalty of his co-workers.

"He was pretty much a no-nonsense guy, but he was fair with people," Jim Lawson said. "If someone working for him goofed up, he wouldn't chew them out. He would show them the right way to do it. . . . He virtually had no enemies."

Born April 14, 1943, in Luck, Wis., Mr. Lawson grew up in his hometown and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. Soon after, he enrolled at the University of Colorado, where he earned a master's degree in business administration. He later worked at the CU Health Sciences Center as the vice chancellor for financial affairs.

While at the Health Sciences Center, he met his wife, Barbara. The couple married Sept. 1, 1972, and lived in Evergreen for more than 30 years. Barbara had two sons from a previous marriage whom Mr. Lawson helped to raise - David Hoskinson, of Superior, and Paul Hoskinson, of Denver.

Mr. Lawson undoubtedly made a full transformation from a Wisconsin man to a Colorado man, but he couldn't leave behind a certain part of his youth - his affinity for golf. He was a member of the boys golf team at Luck High School in Wisconsin and once competed in the state championship rounds.

He joined Hiwan Golf Club in 1987 and possessed a single-digit handicap. Jim Lawson said his brother enjoyed the structure of golf because it matched the way he lived his life. One of Mr. Lawson's chief traits was to go about tasks in a one-thing-at-a-time manner in an effort to maximize the result.

"He never got rattled," Mr. Lawson's wife said. "He had a very calm demeanor. Quiet, soft-spoken, but just nice."

In addition to his wife, brother and sons, Mr. Lawson is survived by his mother, Edna, of Luck; a sister, Sandy Solheim, of Schofield, Wis.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Mr. Lawson's life was held July 29 at Hiwan Golf Club.