Gladys Lawrence

Gladys Lawrence, 93, of Southlake, was born on March 1, 1925 and spent her early years in New York City.  As a teenager, her family moved to Springfield, Massachusetts where she graduated from Commerce High School.  Returning to New York City she entered the wartime workforce.  When the war ended she met the love of her life, Seymour (Sy) Lawrence.  So, began a sixty-one-year marriage.

The 1950s saw the birth of three sons; Eric (1951), Steven (1954) and Stewart (1957).   Along with the significant challenge of raising three boys in a 4 room, fifth floor, apartment in the Bronx.  Especially, with Sy building his career which included increasing amounts of travel for his job.  Life has challenges and Gladys would meet them.  The 1960s saw a move to Monsey, New York and the family home for the next twenty-five years.  These twenty-five years saw the transition from parents to grandparents as the family grew.

Retirement in the late 1980s saw the fulfillment of what they had worked for with a golden fifteen years at a retirement community in West Palm Beach, Florida.  This idyllic period came to an abrupt close with a series of severe strokes that left Gladys in a wheelchair, but mentally as sharp as ever.  Husband, Sy, rose to the occasion and was both strong and devoted in his care of Gladys for several years until his own health limited his ability to do so. This saw Gladys and Sy move to Beaumont, Texas to be closer to family, son Eric and his wife Phyllis, and enter an assisted living.  When husband Sy passed away in 2007, Gladys entered a nursing home in Beaumont.

This past year saw a move, with Eric and Phyllis, to North Texas to be closer to grandchild, Russell Lawrence, and wife, Laura, as well as great-grandchildren Mason, Tristan and Aubrit.  Seeing these three boys, so reminiscent of her own three boys, growing up and interacting was a real source of pleasure for her in her final year.  Gladys’ final weeks saw a steady decline but also saw a steady flow of loved ones, from all over the country, come to see her one last time and let her know how much they appreciated her.  Her strength, intelligence and perspective will be greatly missed by her entire family. 

Survivors include her sons, Eric Lawrence and his wife, Phyllis, of Fort Worth; Steven Lawrence and his wife, Roberta, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey; and Stewart Lawrence and his wife, Beth, of Yorba Linda, California; grandchildren, Sandy Heller and her husband, Corey, of Davie, Florida; Russell Lawrence and his wife, Laura, of Southlake, Texas; Gregory Lawrence and his wife, Rachel, of Hollywood, Florida; Benjamin Lawrence of Baltimore, Maryland; Alexander Lawrence of Los Angeles, California and Randi Lawrence of Chicago, Illinois; and seven great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of sixty-one years, Seymour “Sy” Lawrence; parents, Anna and Sidney Begelman; and brother, Irving Begelman.

A graveside service for Mrs. Lawrence will be 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, August 28, 2018, at Hebrew Rest Cemetery, 2290 Pine Street, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont.

Memorial Contributions for Mrs. Lawrence may be made to Hadassah, P.O. Box 1100, New York, New York 10268-1100.