Joseph Parran Lawrence, Jr.

Joseph Parran Lawrence, Jr died at age 97 on 20 April 2020. He was born in Washington DC, the son of Joseph Parran Lawrence and Gertrude Lieser Lawrence, on 23 August 1922. He was raised in Washington DC, graduated from St. John’s College High School (’42) and started toward a B.A. in accounting at Georgetown University from which he was drafted into the U.S. Army for service in the Southwest Pacific and the Philippines during WWII. While in the Army, in 1943 he married Marjorie Gertrude Beauchamp, who predeceased him. After the war he completed Bachelors in Accounting at Strayer College and began working at A.P.Woodson Co. in Washington. He retired from the company in 1984 as the V.P. and Comptroller. He dearly loved, and was loved by, Margie and his family. He was a quiet man, who enjoyed gardening, barbecuing, traveling with Margie, and was an avid Redskins fan, despite the current owner.

He is survived by a brother, Rolland Lawrence (Eloise); three children, Joseph Lawrence III (Mary), Marjorie Birks (Fred), and Robert Lawrence (Karen); six grandchildren, Rachel Lawrence (Nathan Zeender), Joseph H Lawrence (Karena), David Birks (Jenny), Brian Lawrence, Allison Birks Portillo (Juan), and Steven Lawrence; and by five great-grandchildren, Fhinnegan Zeender-Lawrence, Rourke Zeender-Lawrence, Carolina Birks, Gabriella Birks, and Eva Portillo. He was pre-deceased by three other brothers: William, James and John (Nick). He was also pre-deceased by his Aunt Eulaila, who raised his brother Rolland, and was a special influence on his life.

Interment will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a future date when large gatherings are safe again. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent in his remembrance to a local charity serving those most in need due to the CoVid-19 pandemic.

An online guestbook is available at www.hinesrinaldifuneralhome.com.