Elizabeth Erlene Lawrence

Elizabeth Erlene Kidd Lawrence was born March 9th, 1928 on Kidd Street in Lincoln, Alabama in Talladega County, to the late Steppe Lee Cunningham Kidd and Walter Kidd. She was the second of three biological children. After the loss of her mother on January 22, 1938, she traveled to several states and settled in Washington, DC in 1939. She was raised by the most wonderful and beautiful people in the world, her late aunt Helen Bartley Kidd and uncle Will Kidd Sr.

Elizabeth married John Lawrence, Jr. on March 5, 1949. From this union nine children were born; six boys and three girls, Anthony Allen, Lendora Olether, John Leslie, Llewellyn Sherwin, Cordell Chauncey, Erlene Beatrice, Titus Eugene, Gregory Paul, and Gwendolyn Lorraine.

Elizabeth began her work career as a volunteer at Maury Elementary School in Washington, DC. There, she served for eight years as a teacher's aide, office clerk, nurse, lunch clerk, and babysitter. In 1966, she began employment with the DC government as a clerk typist and went on to become a program assistant with the DC Department of Public Health and Human Resources, Environmental Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, where she retired after twenty-eight years of service. Once retired, she went on to do her second love of traveling near and far, east, west, north, and south; she literally kept her suitcase packed so when someone said “let’s go” she was ready.

Elizabeth loved sewing as she made most clothes for her girls and for many other women in the family and the community. She would also make curtains, drapes, and slip covers to beautify her home.

Elizabeth gave her life to Jesus Christ in July 1963 and joined Mt. Sinai Primitive Baptist Church, North Eastern Association under the leadership of the late Elijah Bedney in Washington, DC, and was baptized in August of 1963. She was a faithful and diligent member and worker who often spent the night with the sick and shut-in until the next shift would come in. She made sure the disabled members and neighbors received big dinners whenever she had cookouts, during holidays, and just whenever a big eating occasion was taking place. She served as Sister Committee alongside the late Mother of the Church, Sister Louise Briggs. During this time she also served as Mother of the Few in Number Primitive Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md under the leadership of the late Elder James Lucas. In February 2002 she was elected as Mother of the Mt. Sinai Primitive Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Elder Edward Hawkins, currently under the leadership of Elder Alfonzo Tolliver, Sr., her son and pastor, where she continued to faithfully serve until she became unable to physically worship in person. There was not an association, church reimbursement, or union meeting that she missed from traveling with her pastor and Vivian Tolliver. She continued to serve in any capacity that her health allowed, and still participated in the church’s monthly meetings. She served until the end.

In 2006, she began visiting the St. Stephen Baptist Church (SSBC) with her daughters whenever her church was not having service. She became very fond of SSBS as they became fond of her. She would always say SSBC was her second home church and how the Lord blessed her to have a second home church.

Preceded in death: sons Llewellyn, Gregory, and Cordell; daughter Lendora (Roy Bowden); sisters Joann Rice, Olether Turner, and Helen Kidd; brothers Raymond and Will Kidd,Jr.

Elizabeth leaves to cherish her memory: sons Anthony (Delois, deceased), John (Patricia), Titus (Callandra, deceased); daughters Erlene and Gwendolyn Lawrence; niece Dr. Merriel Bullock-Neal; Pastor Elder Alfonzo Tolliver, Sr., (Vivian); church daughter Deaconess Patricia (Smiley) Warren); 85 grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, neighbors, and friends.