William George (Bill) Lawson was born on January 8, 1946 to Bob and Margaret Lawson in Carman Manitoba. Bill grew up at Maple Grove Farm northeast of Miami, Manitoba with his sister Donna and brothers Ray and Doug.
Bill attended school in Miami, MB for his elementary and high school years. From there, he attended United College to obtain a Bachelor of Science, followed by a Bachelor of Education from the University of Manitoba. After graduating from University, he taught for six months in