Jo Ann Lawrence

JoAnn Lawrence was born May 14, 1936 to Geneva Knight Lewis and Joseph Henry Lewis in Los Angeles, California. Born the youngest daughter in a large family of 3 older brothers and a sister as well as a younger brother, JoAnn had plenty of stories to tell us all about growing up!

Later in life, the Lewis Family relocated to Salem, Oregon where she met and married the love of her life, Fred Lawrence on July 25, 1953. The Church was not yet finished, so the ceremony was held in its basement! But the happy couple did not care as they started their new life and first homes dictated by Fred’s service in the Marine Corps.

JoAnn kept a cozy home wherever they went, and they had two children, Debi Lawrence (Mann) in 1954 and Danny Joe Lawrence in 1958. After the service in the Marines, their first homes were at a trailer park in Orange County, then on to Torrance, California to a nostalgic Oil Lease community where they lived happily until 1966. Jo Ann worked at Sears in Hardware part time while raising her family.

Oilfield opportunities moved the family to Bakersfield in the middle of ’66 where they stayed. Jo Ann again worked at Sears and later for the School System Cafeteria, but saved time for the family and for Church. She so enjoyed her various Sunday School kids and Missions Committee until it was not possible for her to keep that up.

Sadly, Fred passed away from a lengthy fight with Leukemia in 1997. Jo Ann moved to a senior mobile home park for a time; made lots of friends and Volunteered with Arthritis Aquatics. She moved a few years later to Pinewood Senior Apartments where she lived until she went to be with the Lord and Fred and the rest of her family on April 18, 2017.

While we will miss our Mom here on Earth, she is now whole, happy and reunited with all who love her in Heaven. Jo Ann leaves behind Debi and Bob Mann in Exeter, Danny and Robin Lawrence in Bakersfield, 5 Grandchildren- Angela, Christy, Katie, Jodi, Eric and Casey and their families… as well as Eleven Great Grandchildren!

Services at Daybreak Baptist Church, 5446 Taft Highway, Bakersfield Tuesday, April 25, 2017 at 10 AM