Virginia Ann Lawrence

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates. Proverbs 31:31 Virginia Ann Lawrence went to be with her Lord Sunday, March 15, 2020. A life long resident of Tyler she was born July 24, 1934 to Pete and Ida Bracken Lewis. After graduating from the Hockaday School in Dallas, she attended Southern Methodist University where she pledged Kappa Alpha Theta. She met and married Tyler resident F. Lee Lawrence, attorney, in 1954. Ann loved the Tyler community and actively supported many local organizations. She was on the Board of the Tyler Junior League, President of the Tyler Junior Garden Club, President of the Gertrude Windsor Garden Club, President of the Quid Nunc Literary Society, Secretary of the UT Tyler Friends of Art, also the Tyler Museum of Art, was Secretary of the Stewart Blood Bank and served on the Finance and Worship Committees at Marvin United Methodist Church. Ann was a Bible Study Fellowship discussion leader. Ann loved the Tyler rose growing community participating in and supporting the Tyler Rose Festival for well over 6 decades. She was a member of East Texas Rose Festival Association and the Order of the Rose. Many Rose Queens had their gowns photographed on Ann Lawrence’s stairway. (She always got a sneak preview.) She was also an active member of Willow Brook Country Club. Along with her late husband, Ann had a passion for Texas history. She was President of the Camp Ford Historical Association, President of the Board of Historic Tyler, a member of the East Texas Historical Association, the Texas Historical Foundation and a Trustee of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission. She served on Texas Christian University’s Regional Council Board and was a member of Addison Randolph Clark Society. Ann was General Partner of Lawrence Consolidated Enterprises, Ltd a family owned partnership with interests in ranching, real estate, and petroleum and was a member of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. She is survived by her three daughters and son-in-law, Frances Ann Lawrence, Amy Lawrence Walton, Elizabeth Lawrence Berry and Randall Hudson Walton; four grandchildren, Claire Cannan Busch, Lee Lawrence Cannan, Annalee Lewis Walton and Molly Louise Berry; and four great-grandchildren, Townsend and Eloise Busch and Charlotte and Elizabeth Cannan. Due to concerns with the COVID-19 and following the CDC guidelines, the family will have a private interment at Rose Hill Cemetery and a memorial service at Marvin United Methodist Church at a later date. If desired, memorials may be made to: Gertrude Windsor Garden Club Fund, 3045 Concord Place, Tyler, TX 75701; Tyler Rose Museum, P.O. Box 8224, Tyler, TX 75711; Marvin Methodist Music Ministry, 300 W. Erwin St, Tyler, TX 75702; or Historic Tyler, Inc., P.O. Box 6774, Tyler, TX 75711.

Virginia Ann Lawrence

July 24, 1934 - March 15, 2020